DxD: A Different Direction
by majik7
Summary: Issei is scouted by Sona during his 1st year, after some training to help him deal with school life without his friends Matsuda & Motohama. Issei meets with the kendo girls. Mainly IsseixSona. confirmed harem members thus far, momo Reya katase murayama
1. leaving friends behind

**There will be frequent skips in time to cover prologue info and interactions. This is based off of Random kitsune's DxD New! I had a different opinion on how Issei would react, and wanted to present my version, and got the go ahead..so here we go!**

"...talking…"

'...Thinking…'

" _..Host talking to Sacred gear only.."_

 **[ Sacred gear spirit talking ]**

 _ **[Sacred gear spirit talking to host only ]**_

 **I OWN NOTHING**

 **Chapter 1: Leaving friends behind**

 **Kuoh Town**

Issei Hyoudou, a middle school student that recently begun his third year, had just gotten his acceptance notice from Kuoh Academy in the mail. Rumors of this particular school going co-ed had spread throughout the region like wildfire. The school director had been interviewed as to what the new direction for the school would be. The director had told the reporter that, "we will make Kuoh Academy into a school that people around the world will seek out. We will strive to educate and train our students to become the very best in their respective fields of study. So for the coming school year, we will have a test group of 50 eligible male students attend."

Issei and his two best friends, Matsuda and Motohama, immediately applied. Fantasies filled their heads about being surrounded by beautiful girls that would fawn over them, and grant their carnal desires.

The entry requirements had never been made public, they only said that a physical exam would take place as well as a written exam. That fact had made both of Issei's friends faces pale. Matsuda was a former athlete in their second year, but joined the photography club and openly announced being a lolicon, but his grades were horrible. Motohama was the exact opposite, his grades were well above average, but his physical capabilities were as weak as Matsuda's grades. So if either of them wanted to get into their "Personal Paradise" they would need to make immediate improvements.

Issei was almost on par with Matsuda in physical strength, and his grades weren't that far behind Motohama, so his chance to get into the school seemed to be the highest out of the three. The trio had discussed what would happen if any one of them failed to meet to requirements, and be denied entry.

" _If I don't make it, one of you guys has to put a loli in your harem!" Matsuda exclaimed to his two friends._

" _You have to find the girl with the best 3 sizes and conquer her heart." Motohama said, he had developed an ability that would allow him to accurately gauge the size of any girl just from looking at them. He was also the biggest eroge fan of the three._

 _Issei on the other hand, wanted something a bit more wholesome, should his entry be looked over._

" _If I can't get in, it'll be your duty to protect the girls from rapey douche bags."_

For the better part of a decade, Issei had become quite the pervert, but one thing had always remained a core part of who he was. If someone needed help, Issei would put his all into helping them, and never asking for a reward. And Issei made sure to never lie to anyone, he always wore his heart on his sleeve.

Aside from his dreams of having a harem, Issei had always liked the idea of being the knight in shining armor, saving the damsel in distress and winning her over. But Issei's school years thus far have made it abundantly clear that the girls saw him as a pervert, and no matter how nice he was to any of the girls at his school, they never took the time to really get to know him.

Issei was jumping for joy, he was one of the lucky 50 guys to be allowed into Kuoh Academy, he had to see if his friends had gotten their letters yet.

Issei took out his cell phone and sent a group message to his buddies. 'Yo, you guys get your acceptance letters from Kuoh? Cause guess what bitches...I GOT IN!' the message read. Issei was eagerly waiting for a response from either of them, and after an hour or so had gone by while he was watching tv, finally his phone gave him the news.

Matsuda's read - 'No go bro, rejected like a saggy stripper =[ '

Issei was sad that the trio would be broken up, but there was still hope for Motohama...right? Just as Issei was about to put his phone down, Motohama's message came through.

Motohama's read - ' Today is a sad day, for I too was rejected.'

And just like that the trio had informed that they would be broken up for the better part of 3 years.

The thought of going to a school where he wouldn't have any friends by his side had sunken in over the course of a week, and it was starting to be intimidating. So Issei thought a walk through town to clear his head would calm his nerves a bit.

 **Kuoh Town**

 **Shopping district - 8:30pm**

Issei had been walking around for the greater part of 3 hours now, and the sun had set. Issei was walking through part of town that had small shops and restaurants lining the streets, he had stayed in the park in his neighborhood for over an hour, just sitting on the bench across from a water fountain. He sat their watching the kids play, and the parents sit nearby watching their children with a smile on their faces. 'Will I ever have that?' Issei thought, so far that wasn't looking like a likely outcome, granted there was still plenty of time since he hadn't even started high school yet.

Issei had long forgotten the reason he was walking around town by the time he left the park to continue his journey through town. Issei was taking notice of how empty the streets had become, it was strange, he could have sworn that people were usually walking around still at this time. Whatever, it was probably just his imagination.

Passing by a cafe, Issei stopped at the window of a manga shop. He was just mindlessly looking through the glass, staring at a few of the new editions that had arrived within the past week, but not really taking notice of them at the same time.

'I wonder, will we still hang out like we do now, or will we drift apart since we'll be at different schools.'

If that happened, Issei would be down to zero friends, just like he was before he met them when his only other friend at the time had moved out of the country.

'Well, whatever..I should probably go home now.'

 **First day of break before Kuoh**

The past few months had been stressful for the young boy. Since Matsuda and Motohama had failed to get into Kuoh, they had to scramble to get accepted into a different school, and so they spent most of their time at a nearby cram school. Luckily they had been accepted into the same school not too far away from Kuoh.

Issei had been looking for something to do to relieve his boredom as well as the growing anxiety from this whole new school and no friends deal. His teacher suggested working out, and said that it could be therapeutic on a wary mind. So Issei took the advice to heart and started with running for the first few weeks, before finding that he actually enjoyed it, so he decided that he would add in some weight training as well.

Issei had seen some improvements in his strength and endurance, as well as learned a few things about himself. He noticed after his first week that he didn't get as sore as other people would claim he should. His appearance hadn't really changed, the only difference was that the small muscles he did have were slightly more defined on his relatively scrawny 15 year old body.

Issei had decided that his morning run would be to Kuoh Academy, so he could get a feel of the campus. A picture popped into his head about girls in changing in the locker room as he "accidentally" stumbles in, and being piled on by said girls. A grin spread across his face as he jogged towards the school that he would soon study at.

 **Kuoh Academy**

Issei stopped at the gates of the school to catch his breath and wipe the sweat off of his forehead. Issei took in the sight of the school, a tall three story brick building with a classic architecture style. He could see a few girls walking on the campus in uniforms that seemed to be for the kendo club, judging by the shinai in each of the girls hands.

Walking passed the gates and towards the main building, Issei didn't notice the girls in the kendo uniforms that were trying to interrogate him as to why a boy was on their campus, due to the headphones in his ears and music he had playing.

Issei walked up to what looked like some sort of training hall, and was about to enter to see what was inside when something lightly struck his left shoulder. "?!" Issei flinched at the sudden hit and quickly turned while taking a step to his right to get away from whatever struck him, only to see a group of 7 girls in the kendo uniform glaring at him suspiciously.

'This...doesn't look good..' Issei thought.

One of the girls pointed to her ear, trying to communicate to Issei for him to take out the headphones. Issei didn't understand the gesture, and stood there with his head tilted to the side for a few seconds, as he took in the appearances of the girls that had stopped him. It took all of his willpower to not pass out from excitement, all of the girls in front of him were .Gorgeous. Five of them seemed older, while the two that were directly in front of him looked about his age, so probably incoming students just like him. One of the younger girls had pink shoulder length hair held back with a white band, brown eyes with a hint of red in them, she had to be a C-Cup already with a thin waist. She reminded Issei of Motohama's favorite porn star, Momo Momozono. The other girl had longer brown hair that reached mid back in a ponytail with a red ribbon, bangs just above her eyes, the sides of which were longer and reached breast level. She had light brown eyes, just like Issei, her chest was a little bit bigger than her pink her companions, but her body was just as stellar.

While Issei was mentally undressing each of the girls, the pink haired one reached and yanked the headphones from his ears with a glare on her face, clearly annoyed that he wasn't responding to them. Issei flinched a little from the force of his ear buds being ripped out, and rubbed his right ear briefly, then looked at the angry group of girls.

"You, what are you doing here? This is an all-girls school." The pink haired girl said while still glaring at Issei.

Issei looked at the group, the five older girls had taken a step back, to see how their new club members would handle the situation and step in if needed. The brown haired girl was holding her shinai at the ready, in case the boy in front of her tried anything on them. Issei was a little confused by the "all girls school" comment, had they not heard about Kuoh going co-ed?

"U-um, I was just out for a run, and wanted to check the place out, since i'll be starting here next semester." Issei stuttered out, hoping not to meet the wrong end of the wooden sword anytime soon. But he just couldn't help himself, his eyes kept wavering from their eyes to their chests, and it didn't go unnoticed by the girls in front of him.

The brown haired girl was the one who spoke up this time, while covering her chest with her hand that didn't have the shinai, and slightly turning the front of her body away from Issei's gaze.

"So you're one of the 50 perverts being let into the school!" After saying her piece, she scowled at the boy and awaited his answer.

'Just fucking great...haven't even been to the first day of school, and i'm already ousted.'

Issei thought. And without his friends here, there was no escaping the wrath of these girls. Issei needed to find a way to placate the female sword wielders in front of him, so they don't try and beat him into submission. But he turned into a stuttering mess, and found himself unable to really say anything before being cut off by the pink haired girl. She gave him a lecture that silenced him immediately, bringing back a memory of something his mother told him when he got his acceptance letter..and caused Issei to ponder.

"U-um...i-i, really just wanted t-to see-"

"Shut it perv! We know why you're here. You probably had some stupid fantasy about taking advantage of the girls at this school! You didn't even last ten seconds before eyeing us up. Guys like you are a plague! If you don't get yourself together, you'll just end up dying alone, and the world would be a better place without perverts like you in it."

Issei was speechless. There wasn't anything he could think of to counter her harsh words, and Issei doubted she'd listen anyway. She had already labeled him as a pervert, just like the girls from his old school. And just like them, she wouldn't bother to give him the time of day, or even learn his name. His face was downcast at that realisation. Issei was starting in a school where he didn't know anyone, labeled as a pervert before the break was even over, and with the student body being overwhelmingly female..There was a good chance that Issei might not make any friends during his years here if he didn't make a change. Issei's mother had pretty said those exact words to him before.

" _Issei if you don't learn to control yourself, you'll end up alone. Girls won't want to get to know you if they think you're only after their bodies."_

 _Issei's parents had been happy that he got into such an elite school, but they knew why he attempted it in the first place. His first year in middle school Issei had really devolved into a pervert and pretty much nothing else. His parents had become increasingly disappointed in his behavior, and did little to hide it. Sure they still loved him, but his nature would always get him into trouble, and gave him a bad name..and his parents by extension._

The kendo girls had apparently had enough, and had turned to walk away before the voice of the boy they were belittling spoke up, his voice was barely loud enough for the two younger girls to hear.

"...you're right." Issei said quietly, the pink haired girl and her brunette friend had been the only ones to hear him. The older girls kept walking, having not heard him, nor did they really care in the first place. His admission was surprising to them, the guys they had come across that acted in similar ways never admitted that the way they acted wasn't appropriate. They turned to face the boy, only to see him putting his headphones back in and walking towards the gate of the campus.

 **Hyoudou Home that evening**

Issei finished his run after his confrontation with the kendo girls. For the rest of his run, Issei had been lost in thought, about how his new school life will go.

'I wonder if they'd help me. It'd be nice to start school with at least one friend.'

Issei had been thinking about how he could reign in his perverted nature. His dad was pretty much out of the question to seek for advice. He knew his mother would be willing, but would her advice be useful for a highschool student. 'Well, no harm in trying i guess.'

After dinner, Issei had asked his mother if she could give him advice on how to control himself. She had been shocked at first, but was quickly replaced by happiness that her son might have a chance at a normal highschool experience after all. They sat down with some drinks and talked for 2 hours about how to talk to, and behave with a girl. She said that Issei should go back and talk to the kendo girls again, and ask for their help as well, since he'd be tempted around beautiful girls..their help may be more beneficial and quicker to take hold...especially with those shinai.

After the talk with his mom, Issei was laying in bed thinking about what she said, and if the girls would even be willing. But it did sound like a good plan, and hopefully by the time school started, he'd befriend at least one of them and be able to get through school without the perv label plastered across his face.

 **Kuoh Academy gates the next day**

Issei once again took his morning run to Kuoh Academy, hoping to ask for the girls help. Once he passed through the gates he took out his headphones so they couldn't sneak up in him like the day before. Walking to the direction he saw them yesterday, he heard the sound of wood hitting wood, and some grunts of exertion.

Issei stood at the entrance of the building the noises were coming from, he was contemplating whether he should wait outside for them to take a break, or go inside. Issei was a bit nervous, since they probably would think he was just there to stare at them, and that would probably lead to beat down. But Issei was brought out of his thoughts by a familiar feeling, something hard firmly pressed into his shoulder blade. And a familiar stern voice rang out from behind him.

"What are you doing back here perv." It was the Brunette that spoke to Issei.

Issei took a deep breath, he was hoping that this would work. Letting the breath out Issei turned around with his hands up. Just as he thought, it was the same two girls from yesterday, he'd address them but he hadn't caught their names yesterday.

"Good morning, i'm not here to cause any trouble. I just wanted to talk to you two-"

The pink haired girl didn't let him finish, she apparently didn't want to waste any time talking to him.

"Talk to us about what?" She said. She crossed her arms under her chest, Issei noticed how it pushed her breasts up, it took all his willpower not to glance. The brunette lowered her wooden sword, but kept it at the ready in her right hand.

Issei gulped, it was now or never. He took another deep breath, letting it out he bowed his head to the two girls. To say they were surprised was an understatement, and it showed on their faces. Their expressions turned to confusion once Issei spoke.

"Please help me" He said with his head still lowered, he would hold this position as long as he needed to to get them to understand he was serious. When the girls didn't answer after a few seconds, Issei continued, elaborating on what he was asking of them.

"I don't want people to only see me as a pervert. I want people to feel comfortable and safe around me, I want to control my perverted urges. I'll do anything you ask, please help me."

The girls looked at each other, seemingly having a silent conversation between them. The girl with the Shinai placed it under his chin and lifted, causing Issei to stand back up straight to look at them. Issei didn't know how they were going to answer, but he hadn't been hit by the sword yet...so that seemed like a good start.

"What's your name?" The pink haired girl asked. She uncrossed her arms and had them at her hips, her face was unreadable, which was a little unnerving.

"Issei Hyoudou." Issei said, not looking to change their seemingly calm but cautious demeanor.

The pink haired girl nodded and gestured to herself and the brunette next to her.

"I'm Yui Katase. This is Kaori Murayama. So….Hyoudou, are you serious about this?"

Issei looked at the girls he now knew as Katase and Murayama, and nodded.

"I'm 100% serious. I know it probably won't be easy, but if you're willing to help me, I promise to give it everything I have." Issei said seriously.

Katase and Murayama looked at each other, having another silent conversation. The way he left yesterday, saying that they were right about him had confused them. They were expecting to all of the boys that enrolled in Kuoh to be Unruly perverts with no hope for salvation. But standing in front of them, was a boy who wanted to be given a chance to prove he was worth getting to know. The girls nodded to each other with a smile. Then Murayama spoke.

"Alright, if you're serious, then we're willing to help you. But if you slip up, I'll beat you into the ground. Understood?" Murayama's tone started sincere, but turned cold when she mentioned that she'd punish Issei for messing up.

Issei's face showed how he felt about their answer. He had a radiant smile, extremely happy that they were willing to help. Issei nodded vigorously, then saluted to Murayama in a joking manner.

"YES MA'AM, UNDERSTOOD!"


	2. New girls, New Friends

**"...talking…"**

 **'...Thinking…'**

 **"** _ **..Host talking to Sacred gear only.."**_

 **[ Sacred gear spirit talking ]**

 _ **[Sacred gear spirit talking to host only ]**_

 **I OWN NOTHING**

 **Chapter 1: First Day**

 **Kuoh Academy**

Issei stood at the gates of his school, mentally preparing himself to make a good first impression on his teacher and classmates. He had been throwing himself into his training, both physical and what Murayama and Katase referred to as his "perv reversion" training. The physical training had actually been enjoyable for him, it had become a way for Issei to clear his mind after the beatings and berating he got from the two girls when he messed up.

Katase and Murayama had at first been pretty distant with Issei when they first started guiding him from his perverted ways. But after a month, they started to feel like real friends. They don't refer to him by his last name anymore, instead using "Ise" his nickname from middle school. Issei himself didn't feel they'd like to be called by their first names, so he stuck to the last name, and they hadn't brought it up.

As the new semester grew closer, the true natures of his two new friends came out to reveal themselves. Katase was usually a composed and polite girl, unless dealing with someone hostile or otherwise inappropriate, like a guy trying to peep into their locker room, then she was assertive and aggressive. Murayama's was the real surprise though, Once she felt comfortable around Issei, she teased him whenever she thought he was glancing at her body, and would then smack him on the head with her shinai. Outside of her tendency to tease him, Murayama was a very easy going girl.

Issei looked around the school grounds taking notice of the students. The girls mostly wore the standard uniform which consisted of a white button down shirt with black vertical stripes, a black shoulder cape with white accents. A magenta skirt with white accents, a black corset and brown dress shoes. Issei enjoyed the look of the girls in their uniform, as well as how short the skirt was, with a gust of wind the skirt would shift just enough to catch a glimpse underneath.

The male uniform was rather plain compared to the girls. They wore black dress pants, a white button down shirt with the same black stripes, a black jacket with white accents and brown dress shoes.

Issei wasn't a big fan of the standard way to wear the uniform. He instead chose to leave the jacket and button down shirt open, with a red t-shirt underneath.

Issei walked through the halls towards his classroom, class 1-C, on the first floor of the main building. He hadn't spotted anyone he knew yet, not even Katase and Murayama. He had noticed that some of the male students had already been beaten by some of the girls, apparently the girls were very adamant about not letting any pervert slip through their fingers, Issei was very thankful for his "reversion training" as he saw the bruises his fellow male students had.

 **Kuoh Academy Class 1-C**

Issei was told by his teacher to stand outside the class until he was called. Being singled out like that made him really nervous, he had only sent a few seconds in the classroom before his teacher asked him to wait in the hall, but he noticed that he was the only male in his class. That fact would have made him giddy beyond belief before his training, and witnessing the girls brutality. But now, it only added to his anxiety, he'd be the center of attention for the girls to try and deduce his true nature.

Issei could hear the teacher speaking to her students.

"Okay girls, I'm sure you're aware of the new initiative Kuoh Academy has put in place,we now have a test group of male students to start to transition to a co-ed school. We are lucky enough to have one with us in our class. Come on in and introduce yourself." At the last part, Issei realised he was being called into to the room, and followed the directions of his teacher.

Issei walked into the room and stood at the front, next to the teacher. Looking out to his classmates, Issei had one immediate thought 'This...is going to be harder than I thought…' Issei scanned over the girls in his class, and most of them were beauties in their own right. Issei was going to be put to the test, and if he failed, he'd be shunned as a pervert once again.

Issei wrote his name on the chalkboard, he took a long deep breath to calm himself before turning around.

'Alright, remember...Good first impression, maintain eye contact, no roaming eyes.' Issei thought. Taking lessons hard learned from his mother, Katase and Murayama.

Issei looked back to his classmates then introduced himself with a nervous smile. He was hoping that they hadn't caught on to how nervous he was feeling at being the center of attention for so many good looking girls, even his teacher.

"H-hello, My n-name is Issei Hyoudou." Issei mentally cursed himself for stuttering, that really didn't start out the way he wanted it to. So he cleared his throat to continue, a few of the girls giggled under their breath, but Issei still heard it. 'Good goin Issei, they're already laughing at you...Idiot.'

"I'm looking forward to get know each of you." Issei said his last part and bowed slightly to the class.

His teacher had apparently picked up on his nervous demeanor as did the class, and addressed the girls before assigning Issei to a seat.

"Okay girls, i'm sure Mr. Hyoudou here is a bit nervous at being so outnumbered, so be sure to be on your best behavior." The teacher said, much to Issei's dismay at being outed in front of the class. She then scanned the room to find a seat for her only male student. She spoke to Issei once he found one.

"Why don't you sit in between Ms. Hanakai and Ms. Kusaka. Momo, Reya, raise your hands please."

Two girls raised their hands, each having a smile on their face. Once Issei saw the two hands rise, his face turned bright red, which made the girls openly giggle this time.

The two girls the teacher referred to were both otherworldly beauties. The first had brown hair tied into two braids that reached her waist, light brown eyes that held a gentle look in them. Her figure, from what Issei could see was top notch. 'Is it a requirement to have supermodel looks to enroll here or something?' Issei thought. The other girl was just as much of a looker. She had snow white hair that reached mid-back, straight bangs at eyebrow level. Her eyes were a glacial blue that were absolutely captivating, it was honestly hard for Issei to look away. 'How the hell, am I supposed to focus on class with those two next to me?'

Issei bowed to the teacher and walked to his seat, which was two rows from the back, in between Momo who had the window seat on his left, and reya on his right. Once he sat down, both girls smiled and leaned over to whisper to Issei before class started. Momo was the first to speak.

"Hey there, just call me Momo, it's nice to meet you Issei. Let us know if you need anything."

Issei was still nervous from sitting next to these two girls, but wanted to make a good impression, so he opted for the friendly greeting.

"Thanks, my friends all call me Ise, it's to meet the both of you."

The other girl next to Issei giggled, apparently he was easy to read, and they could tell how nervous he was. And she spoke in a manner that Issei had been acquainted with from Murayama.

"Nice to meet you Ise, call me Reya. You seem a little overwhelmed, do we make you nervous?" Reya said in a slight teasing whisper. At which Issei nervously rubbed the back of his head, he was surprised she called him by his nickname so quickly, but he actually preferred it.

"I didn't expect there to be sitting between two beauti-" Issei realised what he was about to blurt out and quickly clamped his mouth shut. 'That was close…' Hoping to correct himself before the girls caught on to what he was going to say he spoke again.

"I didn't expect to be the only guy in the class, I thought there'd be at least one other."

Issei's hopes were quickly shot down as both girls openly laughed, not trying to hide it this time. Issei's face was once again as red as his shirt, so he decided to just take out the materials for his class and pay attention to the lecture.

As Issei was gathering his materials, he missed the shared look between Momo and Reya as they nodded to each other. They were each sharing similar thoughts, 'Kaichou needs to meet him'

 **Kuoh Academy Lunch Break**

 **Student Council Room**

A few minutes before the lunch bell rang, Momo and Reya had left, claiming they had student council work to attend to, and they were now in said room with 4 other people. The first year duo were standing in front of a desk, where Sona Shitori the vice president of the student council sat. Just next to Sona was her right hand and 2nd in command, Tsubaki Shinra. On the sofa to the left of the room were the other two members, Tomoe Meguri, and Yura Tsubasa. Momo and Reya had just informed their King about the boy in their class, and the Aura the boy emitted, which was that of a Sacred gear holder.

"And both of you are certain of this?" Sona questioned the two standing in front of her.

They both nodded in response, Reya continued her explanation to the Heiress about their peculiar classmate.

"Positive Kaichou, I could feel it the moment he stepped into the room, but when he sat next to us...It was almost...dominating. He doesn't seem to be aware of it either."

Reya looked over to Momo to see if she agreed with her own assessment, to which Momo nodded and brought up questions for how to proceed next.

"Kaichou, should we ask him to come here after class?"

Sona had her elbows on the desk, arms propped up and fingers interlaced, resting her chin on them. She thought through the possibilities of approaching the boy so quickly, she wanted to be absolutely certain before bringing him into her headquarters, no mistakes could be made here. She decided on a different approach instead.

"No, we don't want to draw attention to him or ourselves so soon into the semester. Do you know where he is now?"

At the question both Momo and Reya tilted their heads in thought, before one of other members in the room spoke up. A girl with blue shoulder length hair, deep ocean blue eyes, and a tall slender frame that held an aura of calm confidence.

"I saw him walk out with two of the new girls from the kendo club towards the tree by the back of the gym."

All occupants looked over towards the blue haired girl, wondering just how she knew where the boy had gone since his actual classmates hadn't seen it themselves. Sona was going through the information provided by her servants, as well as the folder containing information of the boy in question, then her queen and 2nd in command spoke up for the first time since the arrival of their teammates.

"Kaichou, is there any possibility of Lady Gremory already having claimed him for her own peerage?"

Normally that would be a concern, but Sona was certain that her Rival wouldn't have any stake in her prospect...yet. But there was a pact between them that forbade either from stealing potential members from each other, while only a verbal agreement, they respected each other enough to never break it. So if Rias had taken notice of him, Sona would have heard about it. And since Rias wasn't at school today, nor had she been informed of her scouting Issei Hyoudou, he was fair game.

This would be the only situation where Sona would possibly thank Lord and Lady Gremory for that ridiculous arranged marriage agreement. And should the testimony of her bishops be true, then she had a deal to present to Rias, one that would greatly benefit all involved. But it all hinged on how the Interaction with Issei Hyoudou went.

"No Tsubaki, there isn't. Let's go meet this boy shall we?"

 **Kuoh Academy grounds**

"So Ise, how's your first day going so far? I don't need to beat on you like the other pervs do I?"

Issei was sitting outside eating his boxed lunch with Katase and Murayama. Murayama was already done and questioning Issei. Issei had a mouth full of food, so he just shook his head, once he swallowed his food he verbally responded.

"No, no need for that thankfully. Things are good so far..It's a little overwhelming though." Issei responded, the two girls had noticed that Issei was an open book with how he felt pretty much all of the time. That was something that caused a good portion of the issues he's faced, it's okay not to say everything that's on your mind, that and lying are not the same thing.

Both girls laughed at Issei saying he was overwhelmed, they both knew what he meant. Murayama calmed down and retorted in the teasing manner he had gotten accustomed to.

"You overwhelmed by all the beautiful girls around you?"

Instead of getting embarrassed, Issei just nodded and voiced his thoughts in his usual manner.

"Yea, I'm starting to seriously think that only beautiful girls were allowed into this school."

Issei said without thinking, both Katase and Murayama had a slight tinge of pink of their cheeks at the implication. They both knew that Issei thought they were good looking, they had been able to work that out of him within the first week of them helping the boy. Issei brought them both out of their own thoughts, not realising his words had any effect on them.

"So, how's your patrol of the male student body going so far?"

Katase held a mischievous smirk that Issei knew meant trouble as she spoke.

"We personally caught 8 this morning before school started. It's just like we thought, all these boys enrolled to try and screw around with the girls here. You should count yourself lucky Ise, and hopefully you won't be the one meeting the end of a shinai."

Issei wasn't given the chance to respond to Katase. Two new people made themselves known when the shorter of the two spoke.

"So the rumors of girls banding together are true."

The trio sitting underneath the tree turned their heads to see who it was that spoke out of the blue. Katase and Murayama's faces lost almost all color as they saw who it was that made their way into the conversation. Two of the most well known girls at Kuoh academy. Issei turned to follow the line of sight of his two female friends. When he saw the two girls standing a few yards from where he Katase and Murayama were, Issei was stunned silent. Issei unknowingly muttered his first thoughts.

"Beautiful.." Issei's quiet words had escaped Katase and Murayama, so the threat of being beaten by their wooden swords was eliminated, however it didn't escape the supernatural hearing of the two new arrivals. Sona and Tsubaki both heard Issei, but kept their stoic expressions.

Sona was a strict looking girl, she had black hair in a chin length bob cut. Her eyes were violet that hid behind thinly rimmed glasses of the same color. Her skin looked an unblemished, smooth. Her bust was modest, but not by any means underwhelming. Her face was perfectly symmetrical, and set into an even expression, not giving any emotions away.

The taller girl by her side had the same expression on her face. Her hair was black and silky, reached down to the back of her knees, and had split bangs. Her eyes were heterochromic, one being a light brown and the other a deeper violet then Sona's.

Murayama and Katase had broken from the shock, greeted and slightly bowed their heads to the two that made themselves known.

"Hello, Vice-president Shitori, pleasure to meet you."

"Hello, Vice-president, what can we do for you?"

Sona briefly glanced to the girls, before setting her gaze back onto Issei, Tsubaki's had never left him. The moment the were within 15 feet of Issei, they could feel for themselves what Momo and Reya had been talking about. It was as if your whole body was being conquered, being told that you were nothing more than dust in the wind compared to the might of whatever Issei possessed. Sona knew more than ever, that she needed this boy.

"Hello, pleasure to meet you as well. I've made it a point to meet with each of our new male students. My name is Sona Shitori, vice-president of the student council. This is Tsubaki Shinra, a fellow member of the student council. You are Issei Hyoudou correct?"

"?!" Issei was surprised and a little concerned that anyone on the student council knew his name. Issei glances over to Katase and Murayama to see if they had any idea why these two girls would know his name, but they were as surprised as he was. But Their expressions quickly turned to suspicion. Thinking that Issei had done something wrong while they were apart. Instead of pleading his innocence, Issei made to greet the two student council members. Issei went to bow to them as his female companions had done, but was met with an outstretched hand from Sona. Issei took hold of it and shook as he introduced himself.

"I am Issei Hyoudou, it's a pleasure to meet you Vice-President Shitori, and Ms. Shinra. I haven't caused any problems to have you seek me out directly, have I?"

Even though they said that they were meeting with all of the male students, the fact that they met with Issei only halfway through the first school day was a little concerning.

Once their hands made contact with each other, the previously unblemished and pristine skin of Sona's face started to turn an ash grey color, along with a cold sweat quickly sprouting. Sona's legs immediately felt weak, unable to hold up the weight of her body from what it was that she sensed within the boy in front of her.

"Ms. Shitori/Sona-Kaichou!" Issei and Tsubaki both called out from the sudden weakness in her legs and started to fall forward.

Losing her balance, Sona fell forward and tried to brace herself for impact onto the ground. Where she was expecting to find herself on the ground, she was instead met with the firm and gentle grip of Issei Hyoudou. She was surprised when she looked up to Issei's face, and saw his expression.

When Sona had gone through the info on Issei's past, there were many accounts of how his perverted tendencies had gotten him into trouble with two other students that he was friends with. But she saw at the moment was nothing like that. All she saw was a boy that was genuinely and honestly concerned for her well being. That was not the person she expected to meet today. Momo and Reya had said that Issei had been a nervous wreck during his introduction that morning. Seemingly trying to hide his overly honest and perverted nature from the rest of the girls in school. 'He saw a problem, and looked to find a way to resolve it, I want this boy even more now.' Those were the last thoughts before Sona was bombarded with the same energy she felt before while shaking Issei's hand, only this time it was 10X stronger from the added level of skin contact. And with that contact came an image that had Sona both awesticken and terrified. A _RED DRAGON_ , with eyes an emerald color so vibrant and powerful that half of the lower class devil population would probably pass out just from a glance. With the close proximity to this aura, Sona passed out in Issei's arms.

 **-LineBreak-**

 **Kuoh Academy - Infirmary -**

Sona woke up in the infirmary of her school. Her violet eye fluttered open, and took note of her surroundings. Seeing the medical type of environment and the sun still shining through the window, she knew exactly where she was and that it hadn't been too long since her conversation with Issei Hyoudou...Issei Hyoudou, such an intriguing person. Sona was absolutely certain of what she saw, a dragon of legend, one that helped cause devastation so great, that the devils alone wouldn't have been able to bring it down by themselves.

"Sona-Kaichou? How are you feeling?" Tsubaki's concerned yet relieved voice could be heard from next to Sona's bed in the school infirmary. Sona turned to look at her Queen, meeting her companions mixed eyes with her own violet ones, a look that had only come across her face once made its way onto Sona. A Smile that was both Smug, and exuded an amount of happiness that her child-like older sister would be hard pressed to match it. The look on her masters face did not go unnoticed by Tsubaki. And Sona finally responded to her servant, the smug/happy expression never leaving her face.

"Tsubaki, once school hours are over, be sure that EVERYONE gathers in the Student council room. We need to set a sure-fire strategy of how to get Issei Hyoudou to join us."

When Tsubaki saw the worry on the 1st year boy's face, she too thought that the protective instincts that seemed to resonate from the boy would be a great benefit for their group, but she did not grasp the full scale of what Issei's capabilities were.

"Yes kaichou, I will inform all members to gather as soon as they're let out from their classes." Tsubaki said to Sona. She made to get up to inform the Sitri peerage about the meeting after school today, before being stopped by Sona herself.

"And Tsubaki, thank you for bringing me here, I appreciate it."

Tsubaki held a smile, and then shook her head at her master, Sona was passed out so of course she would assume that Tsubaki had brought her to the infirmary.

"Kaichou, I didn't bring you here. Issei Hyoudou had you in his arms from the moment you collapsed. He was very adamant that he bring you here himself, he was not willing to leave you in my care alone."

Sona was pleasantly surprised that the boy she was scouting for her peerage, had already proven that he could be relied on in at least one situation. Now she just needed to find out how to bring him to her side.

 **Kuoh Class 1-C**

Issei's current class had been placed as a free period due to the teacher having an emergency, so he was conversing with his two neighbors, Momo and Reya. Who had seen Issei carrying their master towards the infirmary with clear worry showing on his face.

"That was very sweet of you Ise." Reya said with a sweet smile. She was very pleased with how he had acted towards her King without even knowing her for more than a few minutes, and she desperately hoped that they would be able to have him in their ranks soon.

"Say Ise," Momo said from her spot sitting on the corner of Issei's desk. She gave Issei a sly smile as she spoke.

"If I pass out like that in your arms, would you carry me too?"

Issei felt his face heat up at his classmates words, And his mouth was once again working faster than his brain. By the time he came to realise what he said, he just hoped that none of the girls in the vicinity, or Katase and Murayama would punish him for the lack of foresight with his words.

"Of course, if either of you fainted, I wouldn't leave your side until you got the care you needed."

So once Issei caught on to what he had said, he was preparing for the verbal reprimanding with closed eyes. But it never came. Instead Issei was almost knocked out of his seat by the girl with snow white hair that had positioned herself almost on top of his desk. Issei was tightly hugged around his neck, the girl seemed to have supernatural strength, as Issei was losing vital oxygen to his brain from the grip she had on him.

"Ise you're such a sweetheart!" Momo practically yelled out to the whole class. Reya was just watching the moment with her usual sweet smile, until she saw Issei start to turn blue from Hypoxia(lack of oxygen).

"Momo, I don't think he can breathe." She said to Momo who was reluctant to let go, but once she finally did Issei gasped for air while holding a smile, he had clearly enjoyed the feeling of having her pressed tightly against him. Which wasn't missed by the two girls as they smirked.

'Fufu, he's trying so hard not to look or comment on our bodies. He's adorable.' Reya thought as she watched Issei tried to seem like he wasn't thoroughly enjoying Momo's breasts pressed against him.

The door to the 1-C classroom slid open to Reveal Tsubaki standing there with her usual stoic expression. She glanced around the room before addressing the people she was sent to speak with. Once her eyes met with Momo and Reya, she also caught the sight of Momo embracing Issei Hyoudou, and rose an eyebrow with a slight smile on her face. 'It seems they are taking a liking to him.' She thought before speaking to the pair of bishops.

"Momo Hanakai, Reya Kusaka, please report to the Student Council Room immediately after school hours." Before either of the girls could respond, Tsubaki departed back to wherever she came from.

The free period was the last class of the day, and Issei felt he had gotten to know Reya and Momo pretty well, he would even consider them friends at this point. So when the last bell for the day rang, Issei gave his farewells to both of them and made his way to where Murayama and Katase had agreed to meet for his continued physical and "perv reversion" training.

 **-LineBreak-**

The next morning Issei woke up quicker than he usually would on a school day during his middle school days. 'I guess being surrounded by girls on par with top tier supermodels will do that to any guy.' Issei thought before getting up to go for his morning run before he had to go to school.

On his run to the school and back, Issei noticed red glow coming from the old school building. Issei just figured it was a strange light bulb, or experiment going haywire, so he didn't pay attention to it. And so he continued his run, and made his way back home to get ready for school.

 **-LineBreak-**

 **Kuoh Academy ORC Room**

The red light that Issei noticed on his daily run wasn't from a light bulb, nor an experiment gone wrong. It was emitting from the irate body of the president of the Occult Research Club, Rias Gremory. She had received a message from her long time friend and rival Sona Sitri. Sona had requested to meet with both of their peerages in the morning before school in her clubroom for an important relay of information.

Just recalling the talk between the two of them made her blood boil in both jealousy and anger. Jealousy from the fact that Sona had claimed that she had found _**THE**_ Red Dragon Emperor, and that he was to be a part of the Sitri Peerage. And Anger from the knowledge that if she had just refused or delayed the meeting between herself, her family, and her revolting Fiance, then she could have had a chance to lay claim to the boy herself.

 **Flashback to the ORC & STUDENT COUNCIL MEETING**

"Good morning Sona. What was so urgent that it couldn't wait until after school?"

Rias asked her Rival who sat across from her on the sofa on the other side of the Coffee table in the center of the ORC room. It was rare for Sona to meet with Rias on the school campus at all, given how busy she typically was with being a part of the student council.

"I wanted to inform you of a new prospect for my peerage. His name is Issei Hyoudou, a first year in class 1-C."

Sona's face stayed expressionless as usual. But she still hadn't exactly answered the question Rias asked, why the sudden meeting? For any normal prospect, a message delivered by any means would have sufficed, but sona was adamant about meeting in person this morning.

"Alright, but that still doesn't tell me why you wanted to meet in person this morning. As I understand it, the Student Council has you rather busy, so a meeting in the flesh is something that would mean this Issei Hyoudou boy must be something special."

Rias then saw something she hadn't seen in years from her stoic rival, _A GRIN._ Not a smile, or a smirk of confidence. A full grin that carried an almost childish message of "I have something you can't have."

"Indeed, he is special, and more ways than one from what I've seen." Sona stated smugly with a grin that was starting to annoy Rias. Sona pushed her glasses back into place and continued.

"I came into contact with Issei Hyoudou yesterday, after my Bishops informed me that they were **ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN** that he possessed a sacred gear. So I went to meet the boy during the lunch break. I found him with two members of the group that has been "educating" our more perverse male students. He seemed like any normal and kind boy, that is….Until I shook his hand."

"Okay, so what kind of sacred gear do you suspect the boy to have? I'm still not seeing the point of the meeting Sona." Rias was getting more and more annoyed with the tone that Sona was using to describe her interaction with this Issei Hyoudou, but had yet to say what exactly was special about him.

"Issei Hyoudou, is the host of the Red Dragon Emperor." Sona spoke matter of factly.

Rias almost lost all composure at that exact moment. Her eyes were as wide as her sockets would allow, and her jaw dropped. But when the words of the Sitri Heiress sank in. 'Sona has claim to the Red Dragon Emperor...And meanwhile, I was away wasting my time trying to fight my engagement, while the solution was here all along!' Rias thought.

A crimson glow started to roll off of the President of the Occult Research Club. It held an ancient power that now only resided with one bloodline, and that was the bloodline Rias came from. The power radiating off of her started to affect her surroundings, papers disintegrating, her desk forming cracks in the solid wood, and the air grew thick.

The members of the Student Council all stood in a combat stance, they didn't really expect Rias to attack them, but the power coming off of her was unpredictable, and they made sure to be ready for all situations.

While the members of the ORC all stood away from their King, equally surprised by the burst of power from Rias. But they understood where this anger was coming from, especially after the meeting with Riser Phenex.

"Rias, that's not the only reason i'm here. I'd like to present a deal to you." The Sitri Heiress stated while pressing her glasses up to her face once again, but this time they gained a slightly devious glint to them.

Rias quickly calmed herself down to prepare for whatever her friend had to offer. She had known Sona for most of her life, and would trust that she had Rias' best interests at heart, and vice versa. Sona knew how much she despised Riser, and had tried to find a way out of the engagement. But the only way either of them had found in the contract that would lead to Rias' freedom, would be a Rating Game.

"*Sigh* alright, what sort of deal?"

" I will personally train Issei Hyoudou, and when the time comes, I will lend him to you for a Rating Game against Riser should it come down to that. And in exchange I ask for a favor."

Rias narrowed her eyes at Sona. A favor that would grant her the support of the Red Dragon Emperor would no doubt be costly, but she was willing to pay almost any price, and there were very few thing she wouldn't do to be rid of Riser. He was a scourge to the underworld

"And what would that favor entail exactly?"

This was the big reveal for Sona. She knew that at first her idea would sound insane, but given the chance to explain the details, Rias would see the value, and hopefully agree. Sone readied herself by taking a silent breath in, letting it out and opening her mouth to speak to her long time friend.

"In return for the support of the Red Dragon Emperor, you will marry him." Sona knew that she needed to pause here to let the information she was relaying to sink in. And it didn't take long, maybe a full three seconds before Rias' crimson hair flowed in the non-existent wind that was produced from the power of her frustration. Sona however, expected this, and waited for the right moment to deliver to rest of her plan.

"WHAT?! HOW DOES THAT CHANGE MY SITUATION AT ALL?! I KNOW FOR A FACT YOU'RE SMARTER THAN THIS SONA! WHY WOULD YOU OF ALL PEOPLE BE WILLING TO FREE ME FROM ONE MARRIAGE, ONLY TO PLACE ME IN ANOTHER?!"

Rias was livid, and rightfully so. Her longest friend had just offered to free her from one marriage, only to place her into another, with some unknown person. A hand was placed on her shoulder to calm her down, it was from her Queen and another long time friend Akeno Himejima. Rias was quick to calm herself down so that she didn't damage any more of her club room. Akeno then addressed the Sitri King, voicing her own opinion on the matter, as well as her questions as to how the situation would benefit Akeno's King

"Kaichou may I ask a question about your plan?" Akeno asked with a serious yet inquisitive tone. And Sona nodded, already expecting a few question about the part of her plan that was revealed.

"I understand that the support of the Red Dragon Emperor will increase our odds greatly. But what Benefit is there from a marriage between the Red Dragon and the Gremory family?"

'Exactly as I thought, they're only seeing the short term.' Sona thought to herself. She had expected this, and would be quick to explain so that all could questions could be satisfied and they could go about their everyday lives without further delay.

"A marriage between Rias and Issei Hyoudou, the host of the Red Dragon Emperor, would help to solidify the dragons ties to the devils. This would benefit not only the Gremory family, but devils as a whole, should another war break out. But that's not all I have planned Rias."

The explanation Sona had delivered thus far had all in the room captivated, waiting to see what the Tactician in the room had come up with. Rias knew better than anyone else that Sona never did anything without thinking of any and all possible outcomes, it was why She trusted Sona with her and her peerages lives if it were to come down to it. Rias couldn't think of anyone else that thought as far ahead as Sona, so the least she could do was hear her out.

"Okay Sona, what other parts are there to your plan?"

Sona smirked, this particular part of her plan was the part she was most proud of. It would not only double the ties of the Red Dragon Emperor to the devils, but also the families of the Sitri and Gremory Houses...and therefore bringing each house into further prominence.

"Rias will be married to the Red Dragon Emperor. And should Issei Hyoudou be able to beat me in a game of chess either now or in the future, as my agreement with my family states, I will marry him as well. This will not only further hold the ties of Mr. Hyoudou, but it will also be a great benefit for each of our families."

All in the room were silent. Sona Sitri, a young woman who had defiantly and successfully avoided any and all marriage contracts thus far, was willingly putting herself into this deal with Rias. Rias and Akeno seemed to be the only ones to grasp the situation fully, and shared a glance before Rias asked one final question to the Sitri heiress.

"If you're placing yourself in this deal, this boy must be special indeed. I'll agree, only if I have your word that he is nothing like Riser. And I want a clause on paper stating that should either party deem the other not to the others liking, said party holds the right to cancel the engagement at anytime before the wedding is to take place."

Sona was once again prepared for the words of her rival. When she met the host of the Red Dragon, she saw more than just his sacred gear. Her Families mastery over water magic allowed each member of the Sitri family to gauge a person's worth, their values, with just a touch. And she had seen the perverse nature that Issei Hyoudou was trying his hardest to suppress in order to lead a better life, but not only that, the genuine worry he showed when she collapsed in his arms had only confirmed what the magical signs were telling her.

"Of course Rias. I had the chance to meet Issei yesterday, and to gauge what kind of person he was. All of the files I have on his past had prepared me to be faced with an unrepentant pervert who would openly gawk and remark on Tsubaki's physical appearance."

At the mention that the one who was possibly going to be married to Rias had a perverted nature, one of Rias' servants perked up. She was a short girl with white hair just passed her shoulder, with hazel eyes and cat clips in her hair. She was Koneko Tojou, Rias' rook.

"How perverted?"

"Apparently him and two of his friends had openly proclaimed that they would each start a harem." With further explanation of how the boy acted in the past, Sona saw the uncomfortable body language from the short girl, and made to place it to rest as she spoke her next words.

"The boy I met yesterday was nothing like his files had portrayed him as. Once I shook his hand, and I was met with the aura of the Red Dragon. I found my body unable to hold itself upright, and had braced myself to fall to the ground. But Issei Hyoudou had caught me in his arms before I fell. And when I looked up to his face, I didn't see a boy who was trying to take advantage of a helpless girl. No, I saw a young man who would put the safety of those he cared about before his own well being. He even went so far as to personally carry me to the infirmary when I had eventually passed out, even with Tsubaki saying that she could take care of me, he was unwilling to let anyone else see to my care."

Rias had been taking in all of the information about her potential future husband from Sona, and to honest, it sounded like the type of man that she would hear about in stories when she was little. A man that would do everything in his power to ensure the safety of his loved ones. Rias would have to verify for herself that Issei was that type of man, but if he was, then she would happily marry him and give him all of herself in return.

"Hmmmm...From your words, he seems to be a special young man indeed. I would like to meet this Issei Hyoudou for myself though."

Sona adjusted her glasses, and glanced to the clock on the door. It was time for this meeting to conclude, she had a stack of paperwork to attend to before the start of the school day.

"Of course Rias. That is all I had planned for this meeting, so myself and my peerage must be going now." Sona stated as she turned around and proceeded out of the old school building with the rest of the student council following quickly.

Rias had a thoughtful expression on her face, going over all of this new information. The idea of another marriage arranged from the destruction of her current one wasn't a good thought by itself, but as Sona had further explained the potential groom, Rias found herself curious and willing to give it a chance. The idea of the Sitri and Gremory houses being joined for mutual benefit alone was enticing.

"Buchou, do you really think this is a good idea?" A male voice came from the corner of the room by the window with the morning light shining through. This young man had medium length straight blonde hair, grey eyes and a mole under his left eye. He was already being promoted as the only potential member of the male student body at Kuoh Academy that wasn't trying to pursue some off landish fantasy of starting a harem and claiming as many girls as he could get his hands on.

Rias looked over to her young knight with a kind and soft smile as she spoke to him.

"I appreciate the concern Yuuto, Sona and I have been friends for a long time. I would place my life in her hands. The fact that she added herself to this deal only speaks to this young mans potential as well as values."

Rias placed her hands on her hips and addressed all of the group but one once more before they would need to separate for the school day.

"Let's go meet this Issei Hyoudou, shall we?"

 **END**

 **This is the pilot.**

 **So PLEASE give me some feedback and comparison to DxD NEW! If you've read it, the main part that will differ is in the next chapter, which will be the talk between the Sitri peerage and Issei, he will not just accept all that he is told.**

 **I welcome any and all criticism. I want to write better material for you guys.**


	3. The Honorable Pervert

HOLY SHIT! This took longer to write then I thought it would. The meeting didn't turn out the way I wanted, so I re-wrote it. Then again, and again, and again.

ANYWAYS! Here's the next chapter.

"...talking…"

'...Thinking…'

"..Host talking to Sacred gear only.."

[ Sacred gear spirit talking ]

[Sacred gear spirit talking to host only ]

I OWN NOTHING

Chapter 2: Sona's Proposition

Kuoh Academy - Student Council Room -

After the meeting with Rias, Sona and her peerage retreated back to their own headquarters, to finish their preparations for the day. Sona was not filing paperwork, as was her custom to do before the school day started, her thoughts were instead running through multiple scenarios of how to convince Issei Hyoudou to come to serve her.

If everything went well, then he may very well be a devil in her peerage as soon as the end of the day. Sona had thought of feeding into Issei's perverted nature, telling him that harems were fairly common in the underworld due to low birth rates, and multiple partners gave more chances for children to be conceived. This plan was honestly at a 50/50 risk of failure, due to Issei trying to repress his more carnal desires he may see that statement only as a means to manipulate him, which it "technically" would be.

'How can I assure that he joins me?' Sona thought. If it were anyone else in the male student body new to Kuoh, that tactic would surely work. But Issei was peculiar. Sona had heard a good portion of the conversation between him and the two kendo 1st year girls yesterday. From what her and Tsubaki had overheard, it revealed that most of the information in Issei's file was still correct. Issei Hyoudou was a boy that wore his heart on his sleeve, was overly honest with people, and greatly valued that trait in others. And that was what led him to be a much hated figure in middle school, he never hid his desire of the female body from the girls he came in contact with, until now it seems.

And if Issei carrying Sona to the infirmary was any indication, he was a very caring person, who wanted to, and enjoyed helping people who required it. Perhaps she needed a little more insight into what it was that he actually wanted out of life. What did he hope to accomplish, what sort of career path did he envision himself taking, answers to these questions could possibly hold the solution Sona was seeking. So, how did she get this information? A first hand account would be best, and she had two people in close proximity that had become rather friendly with Issei. Momo and Reya.

"Momo, Reya, I have some information I need you two to gather from Issei Hyoudou."

-LineBreak-

Issei had made it to the school gates with a few minutes to spare before classes started. His thoughts before falling asleep, as well as during his morning routine had be dominated with whether or not the Vice-president of the Student Council was feeling better. And he hoped he could see her again soon to make of that. Although that was not the only thought he had.

The image of Sona and her bright violet eyes had followed Issei into his sleep, except in the dream, they were MUCH more acquainted with each other. Issei would have been happy to stay in that dream for an eternity, but much to his surprise a few more additions came into his dream. Momo, Reya, and surprisingly Tsubaki joined as well. 'Man...what a dream that was.' Issei thought as he walked through the campus grounds, towards the main building.

Issei looked up towards the top of the building where the sun was peaking over the roof. The Spring season had always been a time of year that Issei enjoyed. It was partially due to the temperature outside and the blooming flora of Japan, but it was more due to the girls shedding the heavy coats and thus having less material for him to mentally strip off of them in his fantasies. A smile crossed Issei's face from the warmth of the sun, for once in his life, he was looking forward to the school year. Sure, it sucked having your two best friends go to a different school, but they would vicariously through his encounters. Issei was looking forward to bragging about the amount of beautiful girls that he was constantly surrounded by during the school day, he could see the jealous rage on their faces already.

"ISE!" Issei was brought out of his thoughts when he heard his name being called. He made to turn to whoever it was, there were currently only four people who used his nickname. As soon as Issei turned 180 degrees to the sound, he was hit by a snow white projectile, that then latched onto him with a tight grip around his abdomen. Issei looked down to see what or who it was that had him tightly within their grasp, to see his classmate Momo looking up to him with a radiant smile, which paired with her captivating glacial blue eyes was a sight that Issei was hard pressed to let go of.

Brown eyes bore into blue, but when Issei made no moves nor said anything to his classmate/friend, Momo's happy visage turned into an incredibly adorable pout. Her eyes slightly narrowed, and her cheeks puffed like a chipmunk.

"Ise! You didn't hug me back, meanie." Momo pouted while tightening her grip on the boy.

Issei blinked a few times before her words clicked in his head. He then heard Reya give a "Fufufu" from a few feet away from them. Issei smiled to his friend and made to hug her back, he was shocked at how quickly she had become friendly with him, but he wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. 'What self-respecting teenage male wouldn't enjoy a beauty like her hugging them first thing in the morning.' Issei thought, placing his arms around her back to hug her slender figure to his. Reya's words then brought a blush to both of their faces.

"It seems Momo is quite attached to you Ise, i'm sure the other boys will be very envious, ufufu." Reya spoke with her seemingly ever present smile.

Issei's face was still hot and red from his other classmates statement. He was about to make a counter, but was cut off by the sound of two familiar and angry voices that yelled out simultaneously.

"ISE!"

"YOU COULDN'T EVEN LAST TWO WHOLE DAYS?!"

It was Katase and Murayama, who had assumed Issei was reverting back to his old perverted self and taking advantage of an innocent and kind young girl. Issei turned to the sound of his two friends/punishers, to see them clad in their Kendo uniform and shinai in their hands at the ready, and quickly making their way to bring divine judgement onto his body. The angry scowl on their faces left no doubt in Issei's mind that he needed to vanish from sight immediately otherwise he would be nursing bruises all over his body for a next week.

Issei released Momo from their mutual hug and backed away with a nervous shake spreading through his body. He looked at his two classmates Momo and Reya, who didn't understand why the two approaching girls were upset, and waved goodbye to them as he set into a sprint away to lose his pursuers.

"Ihavesomewheretobeseeyalater!" Issei yelled out quickly ran, with the Kendo pair on his heels, shinai raised to swing once they were within striking range.

Both Momo and Reya's expression changed into an even and unemotional one at the departure of the one that their Master wanted information on. Thankfully they were in the same class as the boy in question, so there would be chances to gather the answers later on in the day, assuming the two girls didn't beat Issei too badly where he needed medical attention. Reya looked over to Momo, her smile returning to her face.

"We'll just have to ask him during the break Momo. I am curious though, did you hug him to fluster Ise, or if you actually enjoy being around him?"

"Yes" Momo replied with her own smile.

"Hmm?" Reya had a confused expression, that didn't answer either question. But Momo clarified for the braided Brunette.

"It was both, he's so fun to tease, there's just something about him, it's...strange."

\- LineBreak -

Issei ran through most of the back of the campus, and had finally managed to shake off the pair of kendo girls that were apparently out for blood. 'I hope I can explain it to them later, without being hit.' Issei thought as he entered the main school building, he only had about three minutes before the school bell rang for classes to begin.

Issei was lost in his thoughts, recalling how far he'd come in controlling himself. Within the time span of the break before starting at kuoh academy, he'd gained four girls that he would consider friends, even though two of them were currently out for his head. That was something that he had never thought possible without some sort of wizardry or mind-control. 'Psh, like such a thing even exists..would be cool though.' Issei thought as he turned the final corner to get into the hall his classroom resided in. As he rounded said corner, he was knocked over when he collided with something hard, yet incredibly soft and pillowy.

"Ow." A silky voice rang out from in front of him.

Issei rubbed his lower back from the impact, and looked up to see who he walked into, so that he could apologize and be on his way. But his mind came to a halt at the image in front of him. 'What did I….HOLY SWEET LACE! Purple is officially my new favorite color!'

Issei's eyes were met by the lacey purple undergarments of what Issei could only describe as a goddess in human form. 'I'm pretty sure Motohama would lose his shit just looking at this girl.' Issei thought, taking in the full visage of the girl on the floor, who had fallen with her legs had spread and bent at the knee when she landed on the floor..giving Issei a full panty shot.

She had long, crimson red hair and bangs that perfectly framed her face. Blue-green eyes with a regal look to them with her face only matching her noble presence. Her breasts were probably among the biggest Issei had ever seen, in real life or in any porn.

'Snap out of it Issei! You just knocked her down, help her up idiot.' Issei thought as he shook his head to clear his not-so-clean thoughts. Issei stood up quickly averting his eyes from the purple lacey thong, and offered his hand to help this unknown beauty off the floor.

"I'm sorry for that, I wasn't paying attention, let me help you."

The redhead smiled as she took Issei's hand and was brought back to her feet. She flinched once Issei's hand met hers, as she was assaulted with the same image that Sona had been yesterday, An enormous red western dragon with crimson flames that ravaged any and all things surrounding it. She took her hand back as soon as she was back to her feet, and composed herself as she dusted off her uniform. With that done, she introduced herself to the young boy in front of her.

"No need to apologize, accidents happen. Thank you for helping me up, You're Issei Hyoudou are you not? My name is Rias Gremory, second year and President to the Occult Research Club, it's nice to meet you." She held her regal smile as she spoke. Issei hadn't noticed the two people that were behind Rias, but each of them were carefully analyzing Issei as he interacted with the Gremory Heiress. And so far, they were both in approval of how he carried himself, it seemed Sona's appraisal was on par with what they were witnessing.

"?!" Issei had no idea why someone like her had heard of him, hopefully it wasn't a bad thing. He was trying not to cause trouble here, as that would be counter-productive to his end goal. Yes, Issei still had dreams of obtaining a harem, however he wanted to obtain that harem through different means now compared to his pre-perv reversion training. He previously just wanted girls with the biggest breasts he could find. But now that his head wasn't constantly filled with the thought of huge boobs, he wanted a harem of women who actually meant something to him. Women that he could spend a life protecting and providing for.

"It's nice to meet you , but how exactly do you know who I am?" Issei stated his questioning thoughts. If she knew of him because of his past actions that wouldn't be good. And should he somehow upset this girl, she could very easily make his reputation take an immediate and irreversible dive into the mud. And he was sure that Murayama and Katase would beat the crap out of him for their hard work all being for nothing at that point.

"You met a good friend of mine yesterday. Sona Shitori, she spoke highly of you, which is a rare thing." Rias said with a hand on her hip, and the other on her school bag.

At the mention of the girl that passed out in his arms, and invaded his dreams last night, Issei widened his eyes and wanted to know the condition she was currently in. He also needed to be sure not to sound overly familiar with Sona, which had been the result of the fantastical dreams involving her, a can of whip cream, cherries,and a silicone ring that was used to "extend" certain activities.

"Is Ms. Shitori alright? I was hoping to check up on her today, or at least find out how she's holding up."

Rias and her two servants were pleasantly surprised at the concern that Issei held for Sona, even if they had only met a few moments before the incident in question. 'Such and interesting boy' Rias thought as she looked at the worried look Issei held, waiting to hear an update on the Sitri girl.

"She's feeling much better now, she must be a little overworked from the duties the Student council."

*RING RING RING*

At the sound of the bell ringing, Issei looked down the hall to his classroom, but wanted to thank Rias for an update as well as say his farewell.

"I'm glad she's okay. Well I need to get to class, nice meeting you Ms. Gremory."

Rias and company watched Issei flee to his class. Once he was out of sight, the Redhead turned to see what her servants thought of Issei so far.

"Yuuto, Akeno, what do you think of him?"

Akeno was a fellow second year student, Rias' Queen and best friend. She had long black hair that reached mid calf, and was held in a ponytail by an orange ribbon. Violet eyes and a bust just a bit bigger than Rias'. She was the first to voice her evaluation of the potential new reincarnated devil.

"He seems sweet, but is still struggling to control himself around so many young women ufufu. It's a shame that he won't be a permanent member of your peerage, it'd be so much fun to play with him."

"He seems trustworthy." Yuuto responded.

-LineBreak-

Issei's class was in between classes at the moment, waiting for the teacher to arrive, and so most students were conversing with each other. Momo and Reya were talking with Issei about what kind of future he wanted, and what values he held in high regard. Momo was sitting on his desk once again, while Reya was still in her seat to his right.

"Have you thought about what you want to do after highschool Ise?" Momo asked. She was dangling her feet off his desk, swinging them in a carefree way. Her hands were behind her, holding her upright as her palms were placed onto the desk. Her head was tilted to the side as she questioned Issei.

Issei hummed in thought, he wasn't sure if telling a girl that he wanted a harem was a good idea, so what else did he want to do with his life? He hadn't thought about it all that much, as his mind was usually just filled with with naked women. But there was one thing he knew he'd be good at.

"Hmm...well, i've always been good with kids. So I think being a teacher of some kind could be fun. I haven't put too much thought into it hehe." Issei chuckled at the end and rubbed the back of his head, he probably should have some clue as to what he would do for the rest of his life, and not just coast by.

Momo and Reya both shared an excited look with each other. 'THAT'S PERFECT!' they both thought. Issei would fit in perfectly with Sona's peerage, it was like some deity had sent him here directly to them. Now they needed to go meet with Sona to relay the information.

"Momo, we should get going now." Reya said as she stood from her desk and grabbed her school bag. She stepped behind Issei and grabbed Momo's bag and held it out for the girl on Issei's desk to take.

"OH! You're right, hopefully this doesn't take too long." Momo exclaimed as she hopped off of Issei's desk. Issei widened his eyes and held back a gasp as her skirt lifted enough for him to get a glimpse underneath. 'White hair...black panties NO! BAD ISSEI! She's my friend, need to control myself.' Issei tried to control his urges, which hopefully no one else noticed his internal struggle. But Issei being Issei, was as easy as a billboard to read. And Reya had seen the black garment as well.

"Ufufu, I think Ise enjoyed the show Momo." Reya said with a hand over her mouth to hide her amusement. Issei slammed his head on his desk to hide his embarrassment from them, not even trying to deny that he in fact, very much enjoyed it. Momo on the other hand took a few seconds to understand what Reya was referring to, and finally understood when she thought back to her position just a moment ago. She felt a tinge of both pride and amusement that she seemed to hold his attention even with the smallest of gestures. She decided to have a little more fun with Issei before they left.

"Don't forget me while i'm gone Ise. OH! And Sona-Kaichou said she wanted to see you after school today, okay bye!"

They didn't give Issei any time to respond as they both left the classroom, heading to give Sona the information she requested, and she would no doubt be happy with what they had learned.

A few seconds after Momo and Reya left, the teacher came in to begin the next class. Issei couldn't focus due to his friends antics, it was starting to seem that Issei only befriended girls that like to tease him endlessly. As class began, Issei shook out of his thoughts and got prepared for the lesson.

LineBreak -

Lunch Break

Issei was sitting under the tree behind the gym with Murayama and Katase. He had to dodge their attacks for the first 15 minutes of the lunch break until he got them to at least hear him out about the situation that morning with Momo. And once they finally understood that he wasn't taking advantage of her, and that she had initiated it, they started with another question that was on their mind.

"So, why does the Vice-President want to see you?" Katase asked with her head angled to side. It seemed rather sudden and odd for the student council to have taken interest in Issei, especially since he hadn't seemingly caused any trouble.

Issei shrugged his shoulders, as he wasn't sure either, but he would definitely meet with Sona after school. His reasoning was twofold, he wanted to see for himself that she was indeed feeling alright today, as well as just be around her. That was a strange thing for Issei, when Sona collapsed and he carried her to the infirmary, he felt an odd connection with her. It was also entirely possible that she might scold him for carrying her all throughout the school, the sort of rumor that could come from the student body seeing that would no doubt harm her reputation if she wanted to run for president next year.

"I'm not sure either, I guess i'll just have to find out after school today."

Murayama had only nodded in response to the conclusion Issei came to. Then she remembered that she wanted to ask Issei more about his school life choices. Her and Katase had talked about trying to get Ise into the kendo club, it could benefit him in more way than one. He would be around some of the more well known girls in school, thus testing his resolve to not act in a lecherous way, he could spend more time with her and katase, and get a good workout at the same time.

"Ise, have you considered joining a club yet?"

Katase had forgotten that they had talked about that right before they chased Issei around this morning.

"Right! Ise, why don't you join the Kendo club? Then we can all hang out more."

It was something new for both Katase and Murayama. They had only been willing to help Issei for the hope that he could inspire other potential pervy students at Kuoh to change into normal people. But the longer they hung around Issei, the more they wanted to be around him. His open minded and carefree demeanor was just pleasant to be around. His overly honest personality had been a source of more than a few good laughs as well. Issei just blurted out what was on his mind, and they had grown to like that part about the boy.

"Are you just asking me so you can beat me up more?" Issei asked with narrowed eyes. Issei had progressed very well in holding his urges, so he didn't get hit by them nearly as much as he did when they first started.

The trio all laughed together as the School bell rang out, marking the near end of the lunch break. Issei said he would think about joining the kendo club as they all bid farewell to each other, Issei heading back to his class. Katase and Murayama heading back to their Kendo training.

LineBreak -

Student Council Room

Issei stood at the door to the student council room, ready to knock to alert those inside that he was here. Issei couldn't help but be a little nervous, some of the more influential students were right on the other side of this door. If Issei acted in an inappropriate manner in front of this group, that could spell major trouble for him later down the line in his High School career. But, he was asked to come and meet with Sona Shitori, and he was here to honor that request.

Issei took a deep breath to ready himself for whatever was to come, and finally knocked on the large wooden door.

*Knock Knock Knock*

Issei's hand dropped down to his side and waited. Issei got a weird vibe while waiting to be told to enter inside. It was one of those feelings that made you feel that no matter what it was that happened or was said in this meeting, that some part or possibly all of his high school life would forever be different, looking back on the event...he couldn't have been more right.

"Enter." A stoic female voice rang out from the inside of the room. Issei obeyed and pressed his hand on the handle and turned it, slowly opening the door. With the door fully opened, Issei looked around at the decor of the Student Council headquarters.

It was a large room, with victorian style wood trim, two love seats sat next to each other on the left side of the room, the walls were a greyish-blue paint, to leave it at a more neutral color. To the right side of the room there were a group of file cabinets that stood to about 6 ½ feet tall, with a medium sized desk next to it, probably to sort out paperwork from the files. And straight to the back from where Issei was standing was a large intricately designed wooden desk that looked very expensive. Where there were 5 girls stood in a line just next to the one that had requested Issei's presence here. Sona Shitori.

Issei took note of the other girls that were standing by Sona, and he recognized most of them, all but two. The closest to Sona was a tall raven colored hair young woman, Tsubaki, that Issei had met yesterday for the first time. Her face as stoic and emotionless as he had previously seen it.

Next to Tsubaki were his two classmates, Momo and Reya. 'I didn't realise they were a part of the student council.' Issei thought, he really should have, but all the clues never clicked in his brain. They had even been the ones to tell him that he was requested here by Sona. Issei smiled to his two friends and classmates. Then moved down to see the ones that he hadn't had the opportunity to meet with yet.

The first was a girl with shoulder length blue hair, and deep ocean blue eyes. She had a facial structure of what many girls would call a "pretty-boy" face, but she was just as good looking as the others in the room, a beauty in her own right. She was taller than all but Tsubaki who was mere centimeters taller, but the blue haired girl had a more slender figure.

Last in line and closest to Issei was a girl about Issei's height with reddish brown hair in twin-tails that reached just under her shoulder blades, her bangs were a little unruly, and her hair matched her eye color.

Issei moved his gaze back to Sona, and smiled as he could see that she looked to be feeling back to normal at the moment.

"Good to see again, and that you're feeling better today . You had me worried when you collapsed like that."

Everyone in Sona's group held a small smile at Issei's words, they were all sure that he would be a great addition to Sona's peerage. The fact that he was the host of the Red Dragon Emperor was a bonus, a BIG bonus. Even Sona herself held a small smile before greeting the guest.

"Pleasure to see you again as well Issei Hyoudou. Thank you for personally seeing to it that I was taken to get appropriate medical care. Now, please have a seat." Sona said as she gestured to one of the two wooden chairs in front of her desk. Issei stepped to the chair, feeling the genuine leather layered across it before sitting down, back straight and hands in his lap with his face looking straight into Sona's gorgeous violet eyes.

Seeing that her guest was settled, and pleasantries out of the way, Sona wanted to get down to business. So Sona pushed her glasses up to ensure they're staying in their set place, it wouldn't do to look out of control here, not in front of a potential new member in her peerage.

"Before we get started, I would like to say that you aren't in any sort of trouble, so there's no need to worry. I merely wish to ask you a few questions."

Issei's shoulders relaxed a fair amount at Sona's words, he was of course worried, that he had either done something wrong, or she wanted to pre-emptively warn him to be on his best behavior or suffer the consequences.

"Ok, Is it alright if I call you Sona-Kaichou? I've noticed that's how the rest of the student council refer to you."

Issei didn't like calling people by their last names, and just felt weird for him to say, he had always preferred to be called by his first name...No matter the length of time he had known the one speaking to him.

Sona nodded in response, to her, this was only another step in the right direction, that direction being Issei becoming Hers. Sona then began what would no doubt be a very world shattering conversation for Issei.

"I'd like to start with a few questions about past events, if my questions are too personal, you of course hold the right not to answer."

Sona looked towards Issei, gauging his response to the shift in her tone. She now held a tone of voice that was both unemotional and commanding. Issei tensed up a little, but no verbal response, just a nod signaling the OK for Sona to continue.

"From my understanding, you were labeled as a pervert from both students and teachers during your middle school years, and are now doing your best to control those urges for the hopes of a better life during your time at Kuoh Academy. What was it that made the sudden change?"

Issei flinched at the mention of him being a pervert in the presence of so many beautiful girls, but Issei didn't notice any change in expression from them, perhaps they knew and had moved passed that? Just as he was trying to. Issei wasn't sure just what it was that Sona would gain from asking him a question like this, but he saw no reason to doubt her or any of the members of the Student Council so far, so he gave an open and honest answer.

"When the Co-Ed announcement was made, myself and two friends applied to Kuoh right away. None of us had really spent any significant time with a girl that wasn't forced to for school, or that we were related to, so this seemed like a golden opportunity to change that. But after the test, neither of them were accepted, only I was. So I spent the majority of my third year in middle school by myself."

It was at this point that Momo and Reya adopted a look of sympathy on their faces, they had gotten to know Issei a fair amount over the past 48 hours, and it was the loss of all the other girls that just brushed him aside without a second glance.

"A teacher recommended physical exercise to help relieve stress, and I found that I enjoyed it. And on the first day of the break before starting here at Kuoh, I jogged here from home to get a look at the campus. When I got here, the Kendo girls started to yell at me, saying the world was better off without people like me, that I was part of a plague on mankind."

Issei's eyes had a complicated look to them, that memory wasn't exactly a good one, the words that Katase and Murayama said that day honestly hurt. But it was also what led to him now having a good relationship with them, and also Momo and Reya, so he couldn't really dwell on words that had helped change his life for the better.

"I realised after I went home, that high school would be nothing but miserable if I stayed the same, so I went back the next day to ask for their help to control myself, and so I started meeting with the two Kendo girls Katase and Murayama frequently."

Momo and Reya shared a look of realisation, that would explain the two girls that chased him away that morning, and why they were yelling at him. Those were the two that had helped Issei overcome his urges, and had seemingly befriended him, judging on the way the referred to him.

Sona seemed to also be pleased with his explanation, during which she had made no movements, or had any change in facial expression to give away how she felt about what he was saying...not even the plague on mankind part. But she had other things on her mind. Now that she had clarified what had caused Issei to change over such a short time, it was time to move one to another question.

"As I said to you yesterday, I have made it a point to meet with each of the new male students attending Kuoh, and to learn what it is that they wish to gain from their time here, and what it is that they hope to accomplish once their education is complete. So i'd like to know, what is it that you hope to do after you graduate from this academy?"

Issei noted that this was the same question that Momo had asked him earlier. Perhaps Sona told them to get more information on who Issei was as a person, instead of only using what was listed in his school record. That seemed reasonable, given that Kuoh was a newly Co-Ed school, they would want to know the type of male students had been enrolled.

"Momo asked me that same question earlier, and an idea came to mind after her and Reya left class. I'd like to teach, maybe get licensed as a personal trainer, a teaching degree and teach Physical education."

'He's a perfect fit.' Sona thought as she listened to Issei with a very small smile gracing her lips. He was one of the two newly enrolled boys to not openly ogle the girls of Kuoh Academy, and his goals were perfectly in-line with hers, to be a part of helping the next generation to better themselves. With the questions about Issei's aspirations out of the way, and Sona cementing her decision about asking him to join her, she'd need to gauge his response to information on the supernatural world. So she thought to be rather vague at first, to see how well the information would hold.

"I see, we're very much alike in that regard. Myself, along the rest of the student council members here, wish to open a non-discriminatory school that excels in both mental and physical education. More specifically tailored to those without the means to attend a prestigious academy such as this one."

At hearing the goals of the Student Council members, Issei's eyes widened with a large radiant smile across his face as he exclaimed his praise with poorly hidden excitement. Losing control of his neutral set of emotions, Issei leaned forward in his seat, almost falling out.

"That's amazing Sona-Kaichou! I hope i'll be good enough to join your staff one day!"

The girls standing off to the side of Sona all smiled, thinking that was all that needed to be discussed before dropping the big "D" word on Issei. Sona however thought differently, his response could still be less than appealing, so it was best to approach this subject rather carefully. Being the strategist she was, Sona came up with an on-the-spot transition that would ease Issei into the real topic of their meeting.

"I'm sure you would make a fine addition. Speaking of schools, Mr. Hyoudou, have you thought of a club you'd be interested in joining yet?"

Issei placed a hand under his chin in thought. He had considered joining Katase and Murayama in the kendo club, although he was pretty sure they just wanted more chances to whack him with their wooden swords. Was there any other clubs that interested him? Martial arts could be fun and would give him the work out that he had started to crave. But that was also a double-edged sword, the girls in the club would probably assume he wanted to join to be in physical contact with them, which would be nice but not the real reason he was interested. If Issei were to pursue a career in teaching, maybe he should look into something that could give insight to how a school operates, so while not technically the student wasn't a club it could help him decide if that was the right path.

"Well, I haven't made any real decisions yet, i'd like to see what kinds of clubs there are."

"I see, well the student council is in need of another member, having one of the male students would also give an image of equal opportunity. The Occult Research Club is one other with a small amount of members."

Most of the student council members were confused as to why their master would bring up the club run by the other high-class devil, except for Tsubaki, who left her position by Sona's side and took an old large book from the shelf behind Sona's desk. Tsubaki had been in Sona's service the longest, and so she understood why the Occult Research Club was brought up, and where her king was going with this conversation. They were moving into supernatural territory.

Tsubaki held the large book, once again standing at her position just behind Sona's right shoulder, opening and scanning the pages of the book that must have had at least 2,000 pages. Meanwhile Issei only glanced at the action Tsubaki had just done, not really considering it to be of any meaning, and instead asked about the last club the vice-president had mentioned. Issei had always found things like subjects of ghosts, mermaids, dragons and other creatures interesting. But how could you research them if they didn't exist?

Sona looked straight into Issei's eyes, wanting to see a change in expression that could give her some kind of clue into what he thought of things that were rumored to not even exist. He seemed to like the student council idea, judging by the ever so slight turn of his lips when she mentioned he could have a place with them. The mention of the ORC had a similar effect, but it more subtle. Sona decided to press on while he was deep in his thoughts.

"Mr. Hyoudou-"

"Please just call me Issei, Kaichou." Issei replied, quickly being brought back to the conversation.

"Very well, Issei. Do you believe in the supernatural?"

Issei wanted to be honest, but wasn't sure if coming out and saying yes, would make him come across as mentally unstable or something like that. So he went with a more reasonable answer, that wasn't considered lying.

"I would say i'm more curious about it, rather than a believer, I've never seen anything to suggest that things like vampires and dragons are actually real. But...I've always liked learning about old legends and myths about things like that. They had to come from somewhere, especially if you look at how many religions mention dragons specifically, I doubt all of those stories written in old texts talked about them for the hell of it."

'Perfect segway' Sona thought, this would be a good opportunity to bring up a story that actually had first hand knowledge, and were still breathing. Sona adjusted her glasses on her face once more, then glanced over to Tsubaki to see if she had found the specific page she wanted to show Issei with her story. Tsubaki nodded at Sona's direction with a marker placed in the book to hold the page in question, Tsubaki knew her all too well. Sona turned back towards Issei, and began to speak.

"There's a story i'd like to share with you, I think you'll find it interesting."

Issei nodded, and sat in a comfortable position in the leather chair, waiting for her to begin. Issei looked over at the group standing at her sides. Issei was met with a strange sight, he saw each of them no longer holding the stoic gaze they had before, but a different emotion for each. Tsubaki was the only one who still remained stoic.

Momo looked a hopeful but a tad nervous, if her fidgeting was any indication.

Reya held her usual smile, but noticed she looked excited. Odd, she must like this story.

The blue haired girl held a small smile, like she already knew something he didn't.

The girl with the red-brown hair...it was pretty obvious she really needed to use the toilet.

Issei set his eyes back on Sona as she cleared her throat, ready to begin her story, or lecture.

"Thousands of years ago, there was a 3-way war waged between the forces of the christian faith. The Angels, Fallen Angels, and the Devils. The exact reason as to what started the war isn't known. But this war waged on, claiming the lives of large portions of each side, and humans as well that had either taken sides, or been caught in the field of fire. The Biblical God saw the devastation brought to humans, and that they had no way to defend themselves against forces beyond their own capabilities. So he created items to blessed to humans to help give the humans a chance to fight for themselves should he be unable to in their stead. These Items were called sacred gears, the numbered in the thousands, and each with different abilities and appearances."

At the mention of sacred gears, Tsubaki stepped forward and placed the book onto Sona's desk open to a page that seemed to have two large creatures flying, circling each other, looking as if they were about to attack one another. Sona ran her hand over the page, Issei couldn't read the ancient looking text on it, there were strange symbols, and things that looked like rune marking all seemingly forming a coherent message.

"The war had taken such a toll on all involved that it could lead to the extinction to any or all factions. Races of all kinds had come and taken sides, dragons were the only exception. Most dragons had simply ignored the fighting, continuing to live their lives as they saw fit. As another clash was under way, there were two dragons that had long been rivals, that started their own fight."

Sona turned the book towards Issei for him to see, the two creatures he saw were large dragons. One red with Emerald eyes, the other white with azure blue eyes. The red one caught Issei's attention more than the white, he had always been a fan of the color. It was a symbol of strength, love, determination, and passion. All of which, were things Issei either already possessed, or strived for.

"These two dragons were among the strongest in existence, each had the power to single-handedly end the world as we know it. The dragons were known as the twin heavenly dragons. The red one, DDraig was also titled the Red Dragon Emperor. The white one, Albion was titled the White Dragon Emperor. Their rivalry had brought them to the field of the 3-way war, causing collateral damage on all sides. Seeing the wrath of the dragons, the three factions made a temporary truce to subdue the two powerful beings. The red and white dragon emperors didn't appreciate others coming in between their fight and attacked the angels, devils, and fallen angels. The fight ended with the dragons being brought down and their souls sealed, each into a sacred gear. Ddraigs is called the boosted gear, Albions is divine dividing."

Issei was thoroughly engrossed in the story. How could he not be? It was a tale of an epic battle, and beings of incredible power. But somehow it felt like this wasn't just a tale of old, it felt like a history lesson, Something that could've been taken from a long lost book of events long forgotten by mankind.

Sona turned the book back towards her, and gently closed it, handing it back to Tsubaki to place back on the shelf.

"After the dragons were dealt with, the truce was maintained, but true peace never came. Each side continued to prepare their respective factions should the war be reignited. The humans that were gifted sacred gears were considered valuable, and so each faction sought them out to recruit them. If the offer was refused, some went to drastic measures of ensuring they would not go to an opposing faction, even going as far as to kill them."

Sona took her glasses off to wipe them off, and placed them back on, waiting for Issei to speak. He must have been expecting for her to continue, looking for an end to her story, but that was the end. That was where things had currently been for hundreds of years.

Issei seemed to get that this was the end of the story, did this have something to do with him joining a club at Kuoh academy? Maybe this was the sort of thing that The Occult Research Club looked into, that would be pretty cool. But that information was probably not the easiest to find, nor would it help him understand more of school ops, or be a training opportunity.

"Kaichou, as much as I enjoyed the story, what does that have to do with what club I join?"

Instead of answering his question, Sona brought the topic elsewhere, if only briefly.

"Issei. If I told you that this were not a mere story or legend, but actual events. Would you believe me?"

'What? How could I believe something like that? She said humans almost went extinct. Not exactly an easy thing to just accept.' Issei thought, he considered himself to be an open minded person, but without proof he couldn't just accept it off the bat.

"Kaichou, i'm not one to judge what others believe. But to believe that it were true, I would need see some sort of convincing proof."

"Very well." Sona said to Issei, the looked over to her peerage and nodded to them as well, which they seemed to understand the meaning behind. Sona kept her face in her usual neutral expression, an echoing sound rang through the room, sound of leather unfolding filling the area.

*Pa Pa Pa Pa Pa*

Issei froze in his seat at what he was seeing. '...Those...are bat...wings.'

Each of the other 5 student council members had black leathery bat-like wings sprouting from the lower back. Issei heard Sona get up from her seat. He watched her come around and sit on the corner of the desk near him. She then lifted her right hand, palm facing up to the ceiling, and from it a blue glow appeared. A circle with symbols and markings similar to those that were in the book that he had seen earlier were placed in the circle.

The blue glow faded, and a sphere of water was floating centimeters above Sona's palm. The water started to shapeshift, turning into miniature forms of various animals before reforming into the sphere and then vanishing, like it was never there. Issei's eyes still wide from the shock of the event, made contact with Sona's.

"Issei, right now, you are in a room full of devils."

'I'm dead. No teaching, no harem. Dead.' were Issei's first thoughts, from the little Issei knew from games, and books he knew each of them held the power to end his life with a snap of a finger. So why bother revealing themselves to him? Wait...why would they? Is there something they want from me? Sona mentioned recruiting those sacred gear holders… Does that I have one? If I do, how don't I know about it..

Issei's mind was running through reasons why they wouldn't just kill him if that was their goal. No, he either had something that they wanted, or they wanted him for something. But he was too shocked to even move his eyes away from Sona.

Sona could see the shock the moment that she revealed the student council to be a group of devils. His eyes were staring straight into hers, and slightly quivering, he was afraid. That was understandable. She just revealed herself and two of Issei's friends to be beings who were recorded in texts to be evil. The quivering in his eyes stopped, and Sona could see the gears turning in Issei's mind, trying to rationalize the situation. Another good sign, he was able to think under stress and shock. His words finally came, but they weren't what Sona had been expecting.

"So the thing about opening a school for the less fortunate, was that a lie?"

Sona had been expecting a yell of terror, or begging for his life to be spared. But not to know whether he had been lied to. How many surprises would this young man bring her? Sona was unable to answer quick enough before Issei spoke again, his eyes losing their look of shock and fright, instead held betrayal.

"Momo and Reya...They didn't want to actually be my friend, did they?"

A gasp came from Sona's right, from her white haired Bishop. Sure the initial reason they went out of their way to speak with him was due to Sona's orders to seek out any sacred gear holders they found, and inform her. But anything after that was of their own accord. Now it was Sona's turn to answer questions.

"The decision for Kuoh Academy to go Co-Ed was not only for the reputation of the school. It was also for myself and one other to find potential members to recruit. People whose goals and ideals coincided with our own. I instructed my peerage, the ones who serve under my command, to search for sacred gears holders. They were to inform me if they found any. Momo and Reya's initial contact with you was for that purpose. Throughout our conversation, everything I have said to you is the truth. I do aim to open a school for those not given similar opportunities as others from wealthier families, but it is a school for devils."

Issei's entire body was still tense, from holding a slight fear for his life while in this room. But the reigning emotion was as Sona guessed. Issei had thought that Momo and Reya actually had an interest in being his friend. But some things never change no matter where you go, or how you try to change yourself, this was proof of that for Issei. Middle school held situations that were close to this, girls only talking to him because they were dared to, or had lost a bet of some kind. Sona said it herself, she spoke nothing but the truth, and it had been brutally so. Her voice was heard again, not to set Issei's mind at ease but to continue as to why she told him all of this.

"Issei, the part of the story I told you where sacred gear bearers were sought after, and possibly killed is absolutely true. And you have one, one that will undoubtedly bring people to search for you."

Brown eyes met violet again, Issei had a small idea that was the part of the reason she told the story, if Issei had to guess, his had something to do with the dragons, otherwise that part of the story was almost irrelevant to their situation. So he just waited for Sona to say what his sacred gear was.

"Your soul holds the boosted gear, the Red Dragon Emperors sacred gear."

'Knew it.' Issei thought with a small chuckle in his mind. But Sona had still neglected to say what it was she wanted.

"You haven't said what it is that you want from me. Do you want to take my sacred gear?"

Sona knew what doing such a thing would do to a person, so the flinch from Momo and Reya was an indication that they did as well, it would kill him. That would tear his soul, his life force apart, and he wouldn't be able to live like that.

"No Issei. I want you to join me. I want you to help me, help us. We may be devils, but devils are just as varied as humans are, there are good ones amongst us."

Issei relaxed his shoulders a little. Her words didn't sound like she had any malicious intent. And Issei couldn't really rebut against her claim that not all devils are bad, he'd never met one to his knowledge. But more questions kept coming the more they spoke about the devil business.

"I'm a human, how am I able to help you with something?"

Sona gave a small, a little bigger than her last, and held her palm up once again. The same blue circle appeared, but no water came out. This time it looked like a chess piece, a white pawn to be exact.

"I want you to help me save a friend from a life of forced slavery. I want you to help me teach young devils that there are better ways to get things done, that old traditions aren't always in the best interest of the majority. I want you, Issei Hyoudou, to be reincarnated as a devil under me. Help me change the underworld."

Issei looked between Sona and the chess piece in her hand. As far as Issei could tell, she had said nothing other than what she believed to be the honest truth. But that didn't mean that he wanted to become a devil, a servant. But there was one thing that she could do that make him at least give her offer serious thought. If she could give her word to that, then...maybe.

"Will you...help me be stronger? Strong enough to protect my friends and family when they need it? You said people will eventually come for me, and if they can't get to me, they'll go for those I care about."

Sona lifted herself off of the desk she was still seated on, and took the few steps until she was directly in front of Issei. She slowly and gently grabbed Issei's right hand, and placed the pawn piece in his. Issei noticed how soft her hand were, they carried no ill intent. Sona closed his hand around the evil piece, and her hand lingered on top of his for a moment.

"Yes I will. Take this, think about my offer. I am not trying to force you into making a rash decision. Each member of my peerage was in a similar spot you are right now, and they all took time to think it over. Go home and rest, and if you have other questions, i'll answer them."

Issei tightened his grip on the pawn slightly, it felt like running water, but warm in a way. Strange. Issei nodded his head.

"Yes Kaichou."

Issei turned around to head out of the office, to head home, and think over her offer. Issei reached for the handle of the door, but was stopped by the voice of Momo.

"Ise.." She said quietly.

Issei turned his head with a fake smile.

"It's alright Ms. Hanakai. You don't need to pretend anymore. Maybe we can be real friends someday."

Issei turned his head back around, opened the door, and made his way back home.


	4. The Pawn meets The Dead

**YO! So, I was on vacation from july 15th - 23rd. And the 24th was my birthday(25yrs old now! God I'm old), So I was just a tad busy. But lets get back into the swing of things shall we.**

 **I noticed that some of the reviews didn't like the whole Issei marrying Rias thing.**

 **So to answer that question**

 **Neither Sona or Rias at this point in their lives have shown any interest in marrying anyone. They see men as all being the same, only wanting to ravage them for their bodies. And show them off as a trophy, not a loved one. So this marriage will basically be on paper only. It would be a way to bring both of their families higher up in the underworld, as well as bring them closer together should Sona also marry Issei. If I were reading that without having the background knowledge..i'd probably think the same way as some of you have.**

 **"...talking…"**

 **'...Thinking…'**

 **"** _ **..Host talking to Sacred gear only.."**_

 **[ Sacred gear spirit talking ]**

 _ **[Sacred gear spirit talking to host only ]**_

 **I OWN NOTHING**

 **Chapter 3:**

After Issei left the school grounds, he had started walking towards his home, thinking about everything that had happened during his conversation with Sona.

'What do I do? This wasn't exactly the sort of problems I had imagined having the first week of school.' Issei thought to himself, hands held behind his head while walking around the corner that led to his house. Issei would have imagined him having trouble keeping his old self hidden, possibly being whacked by Katase and Murayama for slipping up. He wasn't sure that anything could have prepared him for an introduction into supernatural activities.

Issei reached into the left pocket of his pants, and brought out the white chess piece that Sona had given him, and looked at it curiously.

'And what's with this chess piece? It feels like there's water moving inside of it, but it's completely solid.' Issei stared at the white pawn piece in his hand, feeling the sensation of gently moving water course through it. The piece looked like it was from a very expensive set, bright white with onyx black accents. It somehow reminded Issei of Sona, not because she was the one who gave it to him. Issei figured it was the feeling of moving water, and Sona's display of water magic back at school.

Issei opened the door to his house and stepped inside, taking his shoes off in the entryway.

"Mom, I'm home." He called out to his mother, who was probably in the kitchen, as she usually was by the time he got home from school.

There was silence all throughout the Hyoudou residence, leading Issei to come to the conclusion that he was alone. He quickly took his shoes off, and made his way into the kitchen, where his mother would typically be, only to find a note attached to the fridge.

' **Your father and I went out with some friends, we'll be out most of the night. There's food for you in the oven, just heat it up. -Love Mom'**

'Well, probably better like this anyway, no need to worry my parents.' Issei thought after reading the note.

Issei put the note down on the table, and walked up to his room, the chess piece rolling between the fingers of his hand. Once he made it into his room, he tossed his school bag on desk, and laid himself on his bed. Issei held the chess piece that Sona had given him up, staring at it like it would tell him what the best option here would be, but Issei doubted this inanimate object held such answers.

'So, according to Sona-Kaichou, I have a sacred gear with the Red Dragon Emperor. I don't understand how something like that could be attached to me without me knowing. I suppose doubting what she said would be counter-productive.' Issei thought. He wouldn't have believed that any part of her story was true, if it weren't for the wings and the magic show she gave him. So that left Issei with figuring out what to do next, because according to the violet eyed girl, he would eventually be targeted because of the power this Red Dragon had.

'If that's true, then I need to get stronger, to keep myself and others safe. But is joining her, and becoming a devil the best way? The story she told me said that there was an uneasy cease-fire between those three factions, so by joining the devils, that makes the angels and fallen angels enemies. I'd think remaining a neutral party in this stalemate would be better...but who knows if that's even possible...ugh, this is exhausting'

Issei laid his hand with the chess piece down onto his chest. When the pawn came in contact with his shirt, it started pulsing, changing between the white color of before and the same blue that Sona had emitted.

"?!"

Issei's hand pulled away from the chess piece, his eyes widened to the size of dinner plates, as it seemed to come to life. The pawn continued changing color and seemed to attach itself to Issei's chest as it sat in the center of his chest. Issei would have removed the chess piece off of him, if it weren't for the sense of peace that it gave off. If he were to describe the feeling this seemingly simple pawn piece gave him, it would be that this pawn wanted Issei to accept it into himself. It wanted to help him achieve his goals, his ambitions, his desires...harem included. It held no intentions of leading Issei to harm. It gave Issei a calming feeling, like that of floating down a nearly still river, being carried by the gentle current.

Issei relaxed on his bed, letting the pawn still rest on his chest, and felt the weight of the situation fade away with his consciousness.

 **-LineBreak-**

 **10 Minutes after Issei left the student council**

Sona was in her office, sorting through the last bit of paperwork she needed to finish for the day, before returning home. Her Queen Tsubaki, was still at her side, helping file the papers. The Sitri Heiress was absentmindedly signing the last of the papers as she thought of the result of her conversation with Issei Hyoudou.

'The majority of our talk went exactly as planned. But where did it go wrong? Everything I know about Issei Hyoudou had led me to believe that he would accept almost immediately.' Sona thought.

Tsubaki took the last papers from her king, and filed them away. Just as the file cabinet was closed, a knock on the door was heard, both occupants looked towards it as it opened. Momo and Reya were revealed entering the student council office. Reya had her usual smile, but the usually bubbly Momo was more reserved, her face set into a neutral expression as if deep in thought.

"Kaichou, we've finished distributing the new club member forms." Reya said to her master. Her face turned to her fellow Bishop and friend, her smile faltering a small amount for a brief moment before returning, and speaking to Sona once again.

"Is there anything else you need from us?"

Sona's eyes went from Momo to Reya, then back to Momo. Being that they had spent the most time with Issei, perhaps they could give some insight about the meeting earlier.

"Momo, I would like to speak to you for a moment."

Sona placed her elbows on the table, lacing her fingers as she rested her chin against them, before turning to Momo.

"Momo, how do you feel the conversation with Issei Hyoudou went?"

Momo set her glacial blue eyes on Sona's violet, her expression not changing. She had been thinking of this very topic as they finished their duties. She stepped forward a bit and addressed the Vice-President.

"Overall, I think it went well. Ise took the reveal well, and was able to keep himself composed for the most part. However, near the end...I believe that my interaction with him only hurt the possibility of him accepting."

Sona had expected the two Bishops to have some idea of where the meeting went astray, but that was not where Sona thought the problem was. Underneath Momo's bubbly and carefree appearance, was a girl with an intuition as sharp as any Sona had ever seen, so her and Reya's input was valuable to bring the situation back into Sona's favor.

"How so?" Sona asked her bishop. Momo started to fidget with her hands, biting her bottom lip before steeling herself, giving her response.

"When we were going through the file on him once we were told he would be in our class, it gave us a look at some of his personality, but not enough of it."

Sona had only had a brief conversation with Issei before their meeting today, but she would have to agree, Issei was more than what the files given to her stated. But she still didn't quite understand what her bishop meant, so Sona waited for her to continue.

"Ise said during the meeting that his two best friends weren't accepted into Kuoh, what he told Reya and I in class, was that they were his only friends...aside from the two he made in the kendo club."

Sona rose an eyebrow at this, and began to put the pieces together. If Issei didn't have many friends, then he might hold that friendship in the same regard as family. It wouldn't be too much of a stretch to conclude that Issei may even value friends more than family, as his friends would accept his perverted nature, whereas his family may not.

"I've met people like him before, he'd do anything for his friends, all he would want in return is honesty. We haven't known him very long, but that much is abundantly clear to me."

Momo took a deep breath, the end of the meeting had stung when Ise called her Hanakai, and not Momo as he had since they met. She couldn't explain why she felt such an attachment to the boy, they had only known each other for 2 days. But she felt it nonetheless, so after Ise left the student council, she was stuck in her thoughts of how to fix it. She wanted Ise to know that she actually did want to be his friend.

"When he was told that we didn't approach him from interest in getting to know him, rather that we were instructed to, he must have felt like we were just using him. And with his open personality, I think that must be like losing a family member to him."

Now that Sona had gotten the explanation from Momo, she knew where she went wrong. If Sona had clarified that anything passed the initial interaction was of Momo and Reya's own desire to be around him, perhaps the conversation would have ended better, possibly even accepting her proposal to join her peerage right away. But hindsight is always 20/20, now they just needed to adjust on how to approach Issei. Sona thought that if they explained that fact, it may benefit their cause, but before Sona could say anything about the subject, Reya spoke up.

"Kaichou. I believe Momo and I should talk with Ise, explain that we are his friends, whether he joins your peerage or not. At the very least, we would be an acquaintance of the Red Dragon Emperor, at best it could lead him to accept the reincarnation."

Sona fixed her glasses, pushing them back into place on her nose, and ran through the possible outcomes in her mind. Just as Reya had stated, there weren't many downsides to having that talk with Issei, but Sona's plan required him to in her peerage. She thought the best option as this point, was to gauge the reaction after they speak with him.

"I agree, speak with him before sch-"

Sona was cut off by a pulling feeling and a magic circle on her hand appearing.

"?!"

Sona knew what was causing this, it was the same feeling when something was happening to one of the evil pieces. There were only three that were not in the student council room, one of which was with the very person that they were discussing.

Sona lifted her right hand where the light was coming from, a magic circle appearing from her palm. Sona summoned some water shaped into a mirror, and used a spell that allowed her to view what was causing the reaction from one of her pieces. The water shimmered and a bedroom came into view, which only Sona could see.

The image started to come more into focus, revealing a boys bedroom, if the posters of scantily clad women on the wall were any indication. Sona saw a bed with a blurry figure coming into view, there were two odd lights coming from this room. One was the same color as her magic circle, and azure blue, the other was a vibrant emerald just beside it. The two colored lights were pulsing in an alternate timing, when the image was fully focused, Sona could see Issei lying on his bed asleep.

The blue light was coming from the pawn piece, pulsing from the white color as was normal for unused evil pieces, to the color of her magic circle. The emerald green light was what confused and concerned Sona. It was coming off of Issei's left hand, the center of the backside of his palm had a circle on it with runes that even Sona couldn't recognize.

Sona looked from the two lights and settled on Issei's face, he was sleeping in absolute peace. He didn't seem to mind the bright lights that were coming off of him, his face was set into a small smile as he slept.

Sona would never admit it to anyone, but Issei had piqued her interest. How could a boy who seemed so caring and honest hold such an intimidating power? Any who held such power in the underworld were usually arrogant beyond measure, claiming that they could just take whatever it was that they wanted. Issei's demeanor was a refreshing change of pace. Even if a sacred gear holder wasn't aware of it, the sacred gear usually had an effect on the personality of its bearer since it was attached to the very soul of the person. Issei's held one of the most powerful dragons to ever exist, and stories circulated the underworld of the arrogant nature of the previous boosted gear wielders. Carnal desires aside, Issei had to be amongst the most pure hearted red dragon emperors to have ever lived, there was only one other that was known to not have been driven mad by the red dragons power..the strongest female wielder, Elsha laevateinn, who was nicknamed the NorseFire Dragon.

Sona was brought out of her thoughts by her Queen, who stepped behind her to see what was on the water mirror.

"Kaichou, is something wrong?"

Sona shook her her in response to Tsubaki's question. As far as she could see, there wasn't any negative reactions happening, but why the piece was reacting this way was unknown.

"No, I don't think so. It almost seems that the evil piece I gave Issei Hyoudou is reacting to the boosted gear-" Sona began, and was abruptly cut off by the pair of bishops.

"Is Ise alright Kaichou?!"

Momo was a bit more enthusiastic in her question the Reya, but that was to be expected, as she was the more outspoken of the two. Sona sighed, she didn't appreciate being interrupted. If they had just let her speak, she would have said that he seemed only to be asleep at the moment. But getting the feeling that they would feel best if they saw it for themselves, Sona took both hands onto the mirror as it started to glow, then expand to the size of a window so all in the room could see it.

The Sitri devils all stood in front of Sona's desk, where the water showing Issei's room floated. Seeing that he was just asleep, and the slight smile on his face, Momo and Reya both calmed down. Watching the alternating lights continue for a few more seconds, Reya asked Sona the question that had first came into her own mind when she saw the lights.

"Kaichou, why are the evil piece and boosted gear reacting to each other?"

Sona could only come up with a theory, she had nothing to prove it. But it was the only conceivable way she could think of to explain what was happening. Adjusting her glasses once more, Sona addressed her brunette Bishop.

"I only have a theory. But I believe that the soul of the boosted gear was partially awoken by the power imbued into the evil piece, this would explain the green glow from Issei Hyoudou's arm."

As Sona finished, the green light changed from pulsing, into a constant shine from the hosts left arm. Sona and her peerage members present stared at it, waiting curiously to see what was happening. The green light shined brighter, blocking Issei from view for a few seconds before settling down.

Sona's eyes widened as she gazed back to where the light had come from, while the rest looked slightly confused by the change. There was now a green gem embedded into the back of Issei's palm, where the glow was coming from. And Issei's eyes were open, but in place of the usual light brown, they were the same emerald as the gem.

"Ise's eyes...the green.." Momo whispered, commenting on the change of her friend.

Through the viewing portal, Issei started to stir, before a voice came from his lips that wasn't his own.

"I don't think Ise would appreciate being spied on." it was a mature feminine voice. It was laced with power that would have sent shivers down their spines if they were in the same room. The voice wasn't cold, more a matter of fact tone.

This feminine voice confused Sona greatly, all books and stories had said that the red heavenly dragon was male, so why was this feminine voice coming from Issei?

Issei's body lifted so he was sitting up in his bed, the evil piece still attached to his chest. His face turned to look directly at Sona, the devils of the student council all froze as Ise's face turned into a sly smile.

"A Sitri devil? I haven't met one of you in many many years." The feminine voice came through the portal. It sounded more surprised than anything else. But how did whoever this was know of Sona's family?

Sona cleared her throat to speak to whoever was controlling Issei's body. She didn't want to show any weakness to whoever this was, as they were clearly above her in strength, and angering a superior opponent was never advised.

"Yes, I am Sona Sitri. I am curious, who are you, why do you know my family, and why are you controlling Issei Hyoudou?" Sona asked all of the pressing questions immediately.

The woman controlling Issei held his hand over his mouth as a feminine chuckle came out of his mouth, which was a strange sight, this gesture looked weird coming from Issei's body. Once the woman had calmed herself down, she smiled through the portal towards Sona, not paying any attention to the others in the room.

"The only thing you need to know, is that I mean Issei no harm, we were merely talking before you rudely interrupted. Issei may tell you the rest if he wants to, for now though, I believe he and I should finish our discussion. Bye-Bye"

The voice ended in a sing-song voice while waving. As she waved, the portal began to become unstable, and quickly lost its form, before the water splashed on the floor. Sona and her peerage all stepped back from the water splashing onto the floor. Sona stared at where the water was laying on the floor, she had never come across anyone with the ability to negate a communication spell before, and that had her on edge. The only saving grace was that whoever this was, didn't seem to hold any harmful intentions towards herself, her peerage, or Issei.

"Kaichou, who do you think that was?" Sona's Queen Tsubaki asked.

"I don't know, but I think my sister might know how to find out."

 **-LineBreak-**

 **Right after Issei fell asleep**

After Issei fell asleep on his bed, his eyes shot open, only to find himself in a large open field. The field was filled with rows of trees, flowers, fruits and vegetables. He was standing under what was probably the largest tree Issei had ever seen in his life. It was probably over 200 feet tall, and 12 feet in diameter, branches sprouting out giving shade with its lush greenery.

Issei took in the sight of this beautiful place, breathing in the air, which didn't carry any of the pollution that the modern world had. Issei sat himself against the tree, and stared at the rows of flowers, some of which didn't look like they grew anywhere near japan.

The wind blew passed Issei, rustling his hair along with the plants of this expansive eden like garden. Issei remembered falling asleep, so he figured that this was a dream, and why not just enjoy this peaceful place.

Issei was starting to wonder just why his mind had come up with this place, some of these plants didn't look like anything he'd ever seen before. As Issei was pondering his surroundings, the sound of a stick breaking on the ground took him his thoughts. He looked to his right and saw nothing but the hills in the distance. To the left was where the rows of fauna started, the sound of rustling grass coming from just around the tree to his left and getting closer.

Issei wasn't sure if this was about to turn into some nightmare where the beautiful landscape would turn dark, gloomy and bloody, with some sort of monster chasing him endlessly. But whatever it was, he let it continue to come closer, seeing as this was his dream. A gust of wind blew from behind, and the sight of golden blonde hair swaying in the wind came into view from the side of the tree, just out of Issei's field of vision.

Issei's eyes widened as he saw the long blonde hair flowing, hoping that this dream wouldn't choose the moment he saw whoever it was attached to, to turn this pleasant dream into a nightmare.

The blonde haired figure came around the tree and spoke to Issei as he took in her appearance. It was a women, around Issei's height at 5'7. Her long blonde hair reached down to the top of her thighs, her bangs were braided to the right side, to keep the hair out of her face. Her eyes were a mismatched set, her left being a sky blue, and her right a vibrant emerald green. Her skin was lighter than his own, and not a blemish on it. The sight of her made Issei think she was of European descent. This woman had a figure that was clearly built from training, but hadn't lost its beauty. She was wearing a long white dress that was tight around her curves, and reached to her ankles, leaving her bare feet to be seen on the green grass. The dress had small straps on her shoulders, and was fairly low cut, giving Issei a look at the top of her D-Cup breasts. Her arms were slender, no extra fat. Her legs were long and toned.

'A dream where a beautiful girl is wearing normal clothes, that's a change.' Issei thought as he gazed at the blonde beauty.

As the woman looked onto Issei, she smiled, before speaking the first words between the two of them.

"I have to say Ise, I'm surprised i'm the first one to speak with you. I'm glad that we can finally meet each other."

Issei tilted his head to the side, slightly confused at what she said. 'The first?' What did she mean by that he wondered. But he could ask about it after he greeted the beauty in front of him.

Issei stood from his spot and took a step towards her to shake her hand, as he stuck his hand out he introduced himself.

"Hello, I'm Issei Hyoudou, but you already seem to know that. Heh." Issei chuckled as he realized that she had already called him by his nickname, even though he had no idea who she was.

The blonde womans smile widened as she stepped forward, passed Issei's outstretched hand, and pulled him into a tight hug. Her grip around his neck was close to bone shattering. Issei thought that she was either really excited to see him, or hiding a desire to snap his neck, hopefully the former.

"U-uhm, miss?"

The blonde kept her grip tight, her left hand on the back on Ise's, after a good 10 seconds she finally let go. She stepped back, the wide smile not leaving her face.

"I'm sorry Ise, after all these years, i'm just happy we're finally face to face." She said sweetly, her voice was like that of a woman in her early 20's. It was soft, and held an excited tone. She placed her right hand over her chest as she introduced herself.

"My name is Elsha laevateinn, your predecessor, and welcome to my home."

Issei was confused, he'd never heard that name before. Normally his dreams were of girls he'd met before and fantasized about, this was out of the ordinary, but not unwelcome. But then another part of what she said brought a question into his mind. 'What did she mean my predecessor?' Issei thought. Elsha giggled with her hand over her mouth and eyes closed. Her right hand extended and gently took hold of Ise's left, Ise noticed how soft yet sturdy her hands were, before a green flash emitted from the hand she held.

"What the-?!" Issei yelled out, startled by the sudden flash of light. He covered his eyes with his right hand. Once the light died down, the surprise didn't fade away, as now there was a red metal gauntlet covering his left hand up to his elbow.

It was a crimson red, the metal plates looked like dragon scales, with yellow horn like protrusions coming from the sides near his wrist. It was fingerless on the top, allowing him to use his fingers, and had an emerald green gem on the center. Ise stared at it in awe, as Elsha just looked at Issei's reaction.

Once Issei finished staring at the gauntlet in curious awe, he realised that Elsha was still holding onto his hand, and he still didn't understand what was going on...This wasn't like any dream he'd had before, and this gauntlet seemed awefully close to what Sona had talked about.

"This gauntlet is the boosted gear, the Red Dragon Emperors Gauntlet. I was one of the previous wielders of Ddraig. When one of the wielders die, a part of you is kept inside of it, which is where we are now...Inside the part of your soul where the boosted gear resides." Elsha explained. She tightened her grip on Ise's left hand, making the gauntlet disappear, now holding onto Ise's bare hand once again.

Issei held her hand tighter, enjoying the sense of calming it gave him. Physical contact wasn't something that Issei was particularly used to from a girl, not even his mother after his downfall into perversity in middle school. Momo had been the only girl to actually seek physical contact with him since his first year. This was a welcomed change.

Elsha saw Issei staring at their connected hands, she didn't really mind, but their meeting had a purpose. She released her grip from his, bringing Issei's attention back up to her. Then the gears started turning in his mind of what she had said about their current location.

"So, I really do have that sacred gear, not that Sona-Kaichou gave me a reason to doubt her. But Elsha, how are we inside my soul?" Issei asked, not quite understanding how that was possible. Magic and things of that nature were brand new to him, so it wasn't hard to see why he was confused by this.

"When that chess piece you were given made contact with your chest, enough of its power radiate off of it for me to grab hold, and bring you here. It's sort of like a dream, only much more vivid."

Elsha's smile became smaller as she moved onto why she brought Ise here to talk with her. Her Blue and Green eyes bore into Ise's light brown.

"Ise, I've been watching you for most of your life, waiting for when we could finally talk. The meeting you had with the Student Council earlier, what the violet eyed one said, is true. People will come looking for you eventually. You were correct in worrying about being strong, people will come for your family, friends, anyone they think that will allow them to use you as they see fit."

Issei's eyes widened as he listened to Elsha. A normal person might just play this encounter off as a strange dream, but Issei wasn't really willing to take that chance. Especially if any part of it could be true, and if the existence of devils is anything to go by, there's too much he didn't know about the world to leave the safety of his loved ones to fate.

As Issei was about to ask Elsha what she thought he should do, her gaze lifted into the sky and narrowed slightly, before turning into a sly smirk. Issei opened his mouth to speak, but Elsha stopped him with a finger on his lips.

"Wait one moment Ise, someone is spying into your room, I'll handle this really quick." She said, her gaze still turned towards the sky. Elsha closed her eyes, and a gust blew passed them that sent Elsha's hair flowing behind her. Then a red glow covered her body as she turned transparent before disappearing.

"Where….did she go?" Ise said. The bright blue sky turned into an evening shade of orange and the wind kept a constant blow now. Issei looked around the field of trees and flowers, thinking back to what she said. 'Who would spy into my room? There's nothing in there that would be important to anyone.'

Elsha's disappearance gave Issei a moment to reflect more on the events of the day, as odd as they had been. Issei took his spot back under the giant tree, enjoying the constant breeze.

'I wonder if I join Sona-Kaichou, if Momo Reya and I could really be friends. I can't really blame them, they were only following orders. I should talk to them tomorrow, let them know I don't hold it against them, maybe try and start fresh. Heh, Matsuda and Motohama would be fuming with jealousy if they saw all the good looking girls i've come across at Kuoh, and it's only been two days.'

Issei shifted down so that his head was at the base of the tree, staring up into the evening sky shining through the leaves of the tree. This weekend he should see what his two buddies were up to, they hadn't hung out in almost a month, and they only had about an hour together before the other two had to go study.

'I wonder what it would be like if they had gotten into Kuoh, maybe Katase and Murayama would warm up to them too...on second thought, probably not. Motohama would get beaten down if he tried to size them up.'

Issei chuckled at the thought of his two new friends beating on his two old friends. That meeting probably wouldn't be pleasant for the two perverts. Then Issei had another thought about his new friends.

'Katase and Murayama have been really helpful these last few months, I wonder if they'd have any advice on what I should do, i'm not sure if I should mention the whole devil thing though...probably not. But I trust their opinions as much as my moms, im sure they'd have some good input.'

As that last thought passed through Issei's mind, the wind picked up again. Falling leaves from the tree started to spin around each other forming a close-knit cyclone, the wind didn't seem to effect anything passed that point. Once the wind died down, Elsha was revealed where the leaves were spinning around each other, the sly smirk still on her face.

"You're back!" Issei said, getting up from his position. Elsha peered over to Ise, her smirk turning back into that wide smile as she nodded.

"Yes Ise, sorry about that, but I believe i can help you with your devil conundrum." Elsha said

Issei was a bit taken back by that, what did she do when she left? And who was it that was spying in his room?

"You can, how? Did you find out who was spying into my room?" Issei said, if she had some input, he would be sure to take it to heart.

Elsha put a finger on her chin as she thought of how to word her response. She wanted to hit all points that had worried him since that meeting, if they had been able to talk to each other earlier, she could have helped him through it.

"Well, lets talk about what happened today, your meeting with the devils."

Issei nodded in response, waiting for what she would say next. Issei wanted help, he wanted to find the best way to keep his family safe, no matter what would happen to him. He felt confident that she had at least some idea of how to help.

"Sona is from a family I met while I was alive. They have always been an honest type, never using tricks to gain reputation or members." Elsha said, her experience with them may not have been very extensive, but the rumors that had been circulating the Sitri family rang true when they honored her decision not to join them as a reincarnated devil.

Hearing this gave Issei a breath of relief, he hadn't doubted anything that she said, but was wary about just how far he could trust her. Issei wanted to get her opinion on Issei becoming a devil under Sona.

"Do you think I should take her offer?" Issei inquired.

Elsha shook her head at Issei, this wasn't her life, she had her time.

"That's for you to decide, this is your life."

Issei slumped his shoulders a bit, seeing this elsha's smile lessened as her eyes softened. As she recalled the meeting Issei had with the student council, specifically with the two girls Ise had befriended. She wanted to clear the air a little about this subject.

"Ise, about those two student council girls in your class." At the mention of the two girls, that was unsure if they were his friends or not, his eyes softened but nodded nonetheless. Elsha saw is reaction, and understanded, so she continued.

"They may have only first talked to you because of Ddraig, but i'm almost certain that they really wanted to be your friend, you should talk to them tomorrow."

Issei perked up when she said this, he wanted to believe that they were really his friends, but the way Sona told him that they talked to him because of what he held was disheartening.

Elsha's smile returned seeing Ise had perked up a bit, this boy is too pure she thought. He was the one to speak up this time, with a subject that Elsha was slightly embarrassed she hadn't mentioned yet.

"Elsha, if you live in my sacred gear, where is Ddraig? He's supposed to be in here too right?"

Elsha had a wry smile, her embarrassment was clear on her face. She nodded.

"He's here. As you are right now, you aren't strong enough to wake him up. I've been awake ever since your friend moved away when you were 6. And like I said earlier, I've only been able to talk to you because of the chess piece Sona Sitri gave you."

Issei nodded throughout her explanation, he tilted his head at the mention of Sona, 'Sitri?' but decided not to bring it up, he'd just ask Sona herself. He instead decided to ask about how to wake Ddraig up.

"How can I get stronger, so that we can talk, and wake up Ddraig?"

As much as Elsha wanted Ise to make his own decisions, she also knew what it would take to wake up the Red Dragon. The normal way would be to gain enormous physical strength, which could take over decade, which he probably didn't even have a year before more supernatural beings found him….or, to become a devil.

"Waking Ddraig isn't easy, you'd need physical strength on par with world ranked bodybuilders. The more common way is a traumatic event, which is how I did it. If you accept Sona Sitri's offer, the increase in strength and stamina would allow Ddraig and myself to speak to you anytime. But, Ise...Don't become a devil just for that."

Issei nodded, the reasons to not become a devil had pretty much narrowed itself down to 2. The fact that he would make the angels and fallen angels automatic enemies. And what his family and friends would say or do should they find out. If Elsha thought that Sona and her family were trustworthy then he could too.

"Don't worry, I haven't made a final decision yet, but I am leaning more towards accepting. I just want to ask her a few more questions."

"Very well. I think that is all the time I can keep you here Ise, I hope we see each other soon." Elsha said with a smile and wave as Issei's vision became blurry.

 **-LineBreak-**

Issei sat up on his bed, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. As he lowered his hand, it ran across the chess piece that was still attached to his chest. Issei grabbed it, feeling the same sensation of running water, and running it through his fingers as he did earlier.

Issei stood up, looking to his clock on the wall, it was 1030pm. Issei hadn't eaten anything since lunch at school, so he went downstairs to heat up the food his mother had left in the oven.

Issei thought about the next school day as he waited for his dinner to heat up, there was a knock at the door. Ise put down the cup he had filled with water, and walked to the door.

Pulling the door open, Issei was greeted by 4 people, 2 of which he was greatly surprised to see. The first two were Katase and Murayama, them stopping by wasn't unheard of, but it was rather late for it.

The other 2 were Sona and Momo.

" H-hey. So u-uh, what are all of you doing here this late?" Issei stuttered out.

 **END**

 **Sorry about the delay once again. This story was on my mind a good portion of the 50+ hours i spent driving to and from my vacation, and was really looking forward to getting this done.**

 **About Elsha, as of right now, shes not a harem member...since she's..ya know...dead, technically.**

 **A few people were asking about a harem list.**

 **The only people I can comfortably say that will be in it are**

 **Sona and Momo**

 **Another thing that ive seen a few times, is what about raynare?**

 **Issei will meet Raynare, but it will be different. I think I have it pretty much worked out, i'm just thinking about where in the timeline this will happen.**

 **And Saji. He will be a part of Rias' Peerage...eventually. And Saji will be MALE. There is a reason for this I swear, I'll be using him for a conflict that'll Affect the Rias marriage and Rating Game.**

 **So give me your thoughts. I wrote this over 2 days, so I feel it might not come across the way I wanted...And like the events feel Rushed, even though this is only 1 evening.**


	5. Devils amendment

**I know that many of you just skip passed these parts...As I often do. But I just wanted to say, that I am blown away at the response to this story.**

 **I've never written anything before my other story, so the fact that I even hit 50 follows or favorites is FUCKING AWESOME!**

 **So, I hope to do the story justice, and bring the characters to you as well as I envision them.**

 **Dearest [Guest] x2 - Issei's possible pairing with Rias will have its ups and downs, as you will see in later chapters. That is something i'm still trying to find the right answer that'll fit this story. As the events I have planned will put them at odds for a bit. And Asia is a bit of a wildcard too, as that directly pertains to the other thing i'm working through, which is the Raynare part of the story.**

 **NOW LETS GET TO THE DAMN STORY!**

 **"...talking…"**

 **'...Thinking…'**

 **"** _ **..Host talking to Sacred gear only.."**_

 **[ Sacred gear spirit talking ]**

 _ **[Sacred gear spirit talking to host only ]**_

 **I OWN NOTHING**

 **Chapter 4**

Issei stood at his doorway completely dumbstruck as to who he was seeing. Katase and Murayama standing in front of his door in the middle of the night, with Sona and Momo just behind them. Katase and Murayama had a concerned look on their faces, Sona's face held its usual stoic appearance, but her eyes held a curiosity yet to be seen by Issei. Momo on the other hand, did little to hide what she was feeling at the moment.

She was fidgeting with her hands, biting her lower lip, as her eyes kept glancing to Issei before quickly moving away. Issei could guess what the two girls of the student council were doing here, Sona because of whatever Elsha had done, and Momo because of the end of the meeting.

But just why were Murayama and Katase here, this late at night?

As confused as Issei was at his unexpected guests, he was also kind of glad that Sona as well as Momo had paid him a visit, as he wanted to talk to the both of them. But it was concerning to see Katase and Murayama here this late.

" H-hey. So u-uh, what are all of you doing here this late?" Issei stuttered out.

Murayama and Katase stepped forward, without saying anything, dragging Issei inside with an arm locked each of his by the shoulder. Their worried looks fading into anger as they stomped into Issei's living room and tossing him onto the couch. Issei could only sigh in response, the only time they'd done this before was when they were really pissed at him for something.

The last time they dragged him away was when they caught him staring at a busty brunette in town, when they were supposed to be getting supplies for the dinner Issei's mom was going to cook for them. The berating he got that day was Legen- wait for it- DAIRY, legendary. he'd never wish to go through that again, but it appeared something worthy of it once again.

Issei looked up to the kendo duo, their angry faces glancing over Issei's body, as if looking for wounds of some kind. Issei tilted his head to side slightly as he watched them looking over his body closely. He then noticed the two other visitors follow inside closing the door as they entered. Sona and Momo took their shoes off in the entryway, something the other two hadn't done, and stood on the other side of the coffee table.

Issei thought this was as good a time as any to hear what it was that he did this time to anger his two mentors/friends.

"What did I do this time?" He asked nervously.

Katase was the one to answer, her hands placed on her hips. Her reddish pink eyes beaming with worry and anger, her anger boiled over in her voice.

"WHAT DID YOU DO?! ARE YOU THAT DENSE THAT YOU FORGOT WHAT DAY IT IS?! WE SAID TO LET US KNOW IF YOU NEEDED TO CANCEL!" Katase screamed out, Murayama nodding in agreement with her pink haired friend.

Issei flinched at the volume of Katase's voice. But then he began to think of what she was talking about, his eyes widening as he realised what she meant.

'Tuesday, we're supposed to meet up after school for my training...shit…' Issei thought, he had forgotten about that, his mind was too full of the devil proposition. It was an agreement between the three that if any of them had something else they had to do, they'd call or text the others to let them know, and he hadn't done that. Murayama stepped forward to be in line with Katase as she spoke up this time.

"You've never not let us know when something came up before, so we got worried that you got yourself into trouble, like you almost did with the chairwoman. we called you, and when you didn't answer, we decided to come see if you were home. Then some weird lights came from your room, and a girls voice came from your window, we've been knocking on the door forever Ise. Now explain yourself." Murayama's voice held more concern than anger, her volume was closer to a normal level.

Both Momo and Sona's eyes widened at the words of the brown-haired girl, but for different reasons. Momo because she realised that the lights they saw were from the evil piece and Ise's boosted gear, and when the female voice controlled his body. Sona due to the mention of the only female member of the school board...Venerana Gremory, just what did Issei do that could have gotten himself in trouble with her?

Ise was stuck, thinking of how to answer the two girls in front of him. He'd really like to tell them the truth, as he always had, including the devils and his sacred gear, but with Sona and Momo just a few feet away they might react poorly to that. So just how could he hide certain details for the time being, without it being a lie.. He had an answer, it wouldn't really give too many details, but would hopefully give enough to satisfy them for now.

"I-I'm sorry. After I met with the Student Council, I was lost in thought on my walk home. It slipped my mind to call you two, and I fell asleep once I got home, so I'm not really sure what you saw or heard. I only just woke up a bit ago, and went to heat up….my…..food….SHIT!"

As Issei was giving his explanation, he realised that his dinner was probably a chunk of coal by now, it was only supposed to be in the oven for a minute...and that had long passed. So he ran from his spot on the couch and into the kitchen. When he stepped up to the oven, his worries were confirmed before he even had the chance to open it. The smell of burning food resonated from the appliance in front of him. Issei's head slumped in disappointment, even re-heated, his mothers cooking was amazing.

Issei turned the oven off, turning the cold water on in the sink to cool off the tray and food so he could throw it away.

'Just great...Now I need to make something myself..I suck at cooking.' Issei thought as he pulled the tray with a black lump of what was supposed to be a delicious meal out of the oven. Placing it in the sink to cool off, Issei heard the quartet of his female classmates enter the kitchen behind him. He heard the fridge open, probably Murayama grabbing a bottle of water, both her and Katase had been told to think of his house as their own by Issei's parents after the first time they came over.

Issei was surprised when he felt two hands, one on each shoulder pulling him away from the oven as he turned it off. Issei turned around to Murayama, who had apparently donned his mothers apron for some reason. Issei's eyebrow rose, not understanding her intention, but she was quick to elaborate.

"Since we're partially responsible for ruining your dinner, i'll make something for us, Yui and I haven't eaten either since we were standing in front of your house and all."

Murayama stood there expectantly, thinking Issei would just listen to her, but he just stood there with a confused look. After a few more seconds of their gazes being locked onto each other, Murayama settled for a tactic she knew would work.

"Ise...get out of here before I tell the other 2 what you said to the chairwoman."

Issei wasted no time in practically sprinting out of the kitchen, nearly knocking over the chair that was closest to him on his way. Murayama giggled at the frantic fleeing Ise, her and Katase had learned quickly how to get Ise to do just about anything they wanted.

Issei made his way into the living room where the other three girls were. Sona and Momo were on the sofa, Katase was sitting on the chair to the side, they were talking rather quietly so Ise didn't make out what was said. Once they noticed his presence in the room, their conversation went silent. Katase looked at Issei questioningly, her eyes looking around him, searching for her friend.

"Ise, where's Kaori?" She asked.

Issei pointed with his thumb towards the kitchen he had just fled from.

"She's in there, she wanted to make food for us, since you two haven't eaten yet...I was going to argue that I should since this is my house...But she convinced me to leave her to it."

Issei tried his best to keep a positive expression on his face, but Katase saw right through it, she knew Ise wouldn't just let someone else do that without some form of blackmail. She started to giggle under her breath at how Ise tried to play it off.

"Uh-huh, and by convince..you mean threaten to tell these two about the chairwoman?"

Issei crossed his arms as he had a slight pout, these two seemed to share the same brain, how else would they come to the same idea? His response was quiet enough so that Katase could hardly hear it, But Sona and Momo who had yet to say anything to Issei, heard it loud and clear.

"Yea, you two promised to never bring it up again...dirty liars.."

Issei uncrossed his arms once he noticed the other two girls sitting on his couch, looking at him.

"Sona-kaichou, Ms. Hanakai, do you two want to eat with us? I can go help to prepare some extra helpings, the more the merrier right?"

Sona adjusted her glasses, Momo looked over to Sona, waiting for her reply. Issei couldn't see it, but Momo had a frown on her face from how he referred to her once again.

Sona shook her head to Issei, they merely needed to talk to him, specifically to confirm who the female voice was from earlier. They had no intention of staying any longer than necessary, especially with it being a school night.

"No thank you, we just needed to talk to you about earlier. Is there somewhere we can talk in private?"

Katase was glancing between Ise and the student council members, not really understanding the situation. What could be so important that the two of them needed to come see him this late, and talk in private? Sounds suspicious.

Issei had his right hand on his chin, thinking of the best spot to talk privately, he wasn't really concerned about being alone with them. Elsha had said that Sona's family had a reputation of being good people, so what was there to worry about, and he didn't think Momo would ever do anything harmful to him...unless he deserved it, but this wasn't one of those situations. A lightbulb turned on in Issei's head.

"We can talk in the guest room upstairs. Will that work?"

Sona nodded her head, she and Momo both stood up from their place on the furniture. Walking towards Issei. Sona addressed Issei once again.

"That'll work just fine, lead the way, it won't take too long."

Issei nodded towards Sona, he started leading them towards the staircase upstairs. Once he reached the base of the stairs, Issei turned his head towards where Katase was sitting.

"If i'm not back down by the time dinner is ready, you two go ahead and start without me, shouldn't be too long though." Issei said to her, he thought it a bit rude to hold them up because he was preoccupied.

Katase shook her head, whenever she ate with people, she refused to start unless everyone was present, and Murayama held the same habit. Probably a result of being so close for the majority of their lives.

"Nope, you know how Kaori and I feel about eating when someone's missing, just don't take too long. Okay Ise? I'll go see if I can help her out."

Issei just smiled and nodded, before turning back and leading the way to the guest room upstairs.

 **-LineBreak-**

Issei was standing in the guest room across from his own bedroom, while Momo sat at the edge of the bed, and Sona stood next to her. Issei closed the door, just to help keep their conversation private. Once that was done, he looked back to the girls.

"So, Sona-Kaichou, what did you want to talk about?"

Sona took a cloth out of her pocket, then held her glasses in the other hand as she wiped them clean. Placing them back onto the bridge of her nose, her violet eyes taking a slightly more serious look to them, while the curiosity still was the most prevalent.

"Before that, I feel it necessary to explain what led us to visit you tonight."

Issei nodded, he had a small idea, but didn't actually know what Elsha had done to end them peeking into his room.

Seeing his nod, Sona cleared her throat and began to tell Issei what made her visit his home this late.

"After our meeting, I felt a reaction from the evil piece I gave you earlier, evil piece is just the name of what devils use to reincarnate other beings into devils. I gave this piece to you, just in case you came into danger before you made your decision, and step in to save you if need be."

This new information was a bit of a shock to Issei, what if he had accidentally turned himself into a devil before actually making his final decision, he felt lucky that hadn't happened. He also felt a little flattered by Sona, Someone who, no matter how many times he stared at those violet eyes, was captivated and drawn in by them. And at the fact that if she were willing to step in to save him, she valued his life, even if it was for her own gain.

"Normally in a situation like this, a summoning paper would be given to you. But with your sacred gear, you'll need multiple pieces to be reincarnated, so you were in no danger of accidental reincarnation. I also gave the piece to you for another reason."

Sona's eyes lost some of the seriousness they held, which was replaced by a sincere look instead. As Issei stared into those violet eyes, they almost seemed to glow as the light from above passed over them.

"An evil piece is connected to the one who is the king, or commander, of the peerage..in other words, me." Sona placed her left hand over her chest as she said this, gesturing to herself. Her neutral expression diminishing from the small smile gracing her lips, and her eyes mirroring it.

"Our talk earlier was fairly brief. I didn't get to tell you, that the evil piece I gave you is tied to my magical signature. In simple terms, a part of me is inside that chess piece. Holding it close will give you a sense of what I want, what I desire, as well as a look into my personality..deeper than what is shown at school. There is more to myself than what I can show at school, because of my position in the student council. And the same goes for the rest of my peerage, Momo and Reya especially."

Sona gestured to Momo, who was still sitting on the bed, at the mention of her name she smiled up to Issei. A gesture which he returned, before moving his eyes back to Sona.

"When I felt the evil piece react, I used my magic to view where the reaction was coming from. It showed your bedroom, with you sleeping..at first anyway. The evil piece was on your chest glowing, as well as your left arm, which was glowing the same green as the Red Dragon Emperors eyes. Then your eyes opened, and they were that same green. And a female voice spoke from your lips. She said she didn't like us spying into your room, and if you felt comfortable, you would tell us just who that voice was."

Issei widened his eyes a bit, Elsha hadn't said any of that to him. He didn't know what kind of reaction Sona and Momo would have from learning it was a past wielder of the Boosted Gear, and he didn't know what kind of reputation Elsha made for herself. Before Issei could continue thinking of what to tell Sona, she continued.

"After she negated my Viewing magic, I contacted someone who I thought would be able to better inform me of what I had seen. And I was told that the only possibility, would be a past wielder. So my question to you Ise, is which of the two known female wielders was it? Elsha Laevateinn, or Monika kelpie?"

Sona had continued to surprise Issei, she used his nickname… she had only accepted calling him by his first name because he said he felt more comfortable that way. Issei thought this development was good. But her tone at the last name mentioned was somewhat cold, had that person done something wrong?

"Sona-Kaichou, you make it sound like one of these people is dangerous."

Sona crossed her arms at his non-answer. But understood that he may want to know just why she was asking about these two women in particular.

"Both of them were dangerous in their time. Elsha Laevateinn was known as the NorseFire Dragon, she was the strongest female wielder of the Boosted gear. She generally used her power to help people. However, Monika Kelpie was the opposite, she became known as the crimson rain empress, she slaughtered thousands just for fun. I merely ask, because the guidance of either will help you to get stronger, but if it's the crimson rain empress that I spoke to earlier...She will try to use you to continue her campaign of blood."

Issei was still at a loss of what to tell Sona, if he said that it was Elsha, it could either soothe her worries. But then again, she could think that he's only saying that to get her to drop the subject. He started to fidget a little with his hands. Issei didn't have the means to prove who it was anyways...he wasn't strong enough.

"Kaichou, I'm not sure you'd believe me no matter my answer. And seeing as I'm not strong enough to contact her on my own, I can't really blame you. She said she was only able to talk to me because of the power from the pawn you gave me."

Sona smiled at Issei, that had given her all of the information she needed. Elsha was talented in many forms of magic, whereas Monika only had talents for destruction and deception, so Monika wouldn't have been able to draw on the power of the evil piece.

"I see, so it was Elsha Laevateinn then, that's good to hear Ise. That's all I wanted, I believe Momo wanted to speak with you as well, I'll see myself out. Momo, don't stay too long, it is a school night."

Sona said her piece, not waiting for Issei to respond. Then she made her way downstairs, grabbing her shoes and making her way back to her own home.

 **-LineBreak-**

Katase and Murayama were standing shoulder to shoulder in the kitchen getting dinner ready for the two of them along with Ise. Murayama had started making omelettes, seeing as it was a light food, and she didn't want to spoil their appetite for the morning. Katase had taken to toasting some bread to go along with the omelettes, as Murayama didn't want any help with anything else. Katase turned to her friend as she waited for the toaster to finish.

"Kaori...Do you think he'll tell us about them?"

Murayama paused in her motion, thinking about it for a moment. She thought about the time they had been around Issei, she felt that there wasn't much they didn't know about him at this point, and he knew a lot about them as well. But this wasn't just any sort of information, what Issei was dealing with right now was more life altering than him coming in to Kuoh with his Pervy side running rampant. Yes, they knew about devils, it was the devils that brought them to their current living situation...Indirectly anyways. They weren't angry about it, they both understood that it was a good opportunity for their parents.

"Maybe we should be the ones to bring it up, I doubt he will, and I wouldn't blame him."

Katase nodded as they both returned to their respective cooking duties, the two of them thinking of how to bring up the subject.

Katase and Murayama both turned around as they heard footsteps coming down the stairs, they saw Sona putting her shoes on before walking out the front door alone, Momo hadn't followed her.

"The white-haired one must still be up there….suspicious…" Katase whispered just loud enough for Murayama to hear.

Murayama nodded then saying "We should make sure he doesn't do anything to her...just to be safe.. The foods done anyways."

 **-LineBreak-**

After Sona closed the door to the guest room, Issei still stood in his spot in the center of the room, Momo still on the edge of the bed. Issei started to rub the back of his head, his nervous habit still remaining with him. It wasn't that he didn't want to talk to her, more so that he just didn't know where to begin. Issei couldn't see the expression on Momo's face, her head was tilted down, and her hair covered his view. Momo slowly tilted her head up, and stood up from her spot at the same time.

Issei had only seen a neutral expression on her face tonight, which was odd, he'd never seen her like that before. But that wasn't what Issei saw on her face now. When Momo lifted her face, she appeared to be fighting back tears, but they were threatening to burst out. Issei was just about to ask what he had said or done to upset her, but couldn't, as Momo launched herself at him with an unnatural speed.

"Oof"

Momo collided with Issei, sending them both to the ground, with Momo's hands wrapped tightly around his abdomen. She pulled her face into his chest as she squeezed him, a few of the tears slipping through.

Issei looked down after landing on the ground with Momo attached to him, and saw the tear streaking down her face. Issei placed one hand on her back, and another on the back of her head, returning the hug she started. He felt her tense up for a brief second from the contact, but almost immediately she relaxed. Issei really wanted to know if it was something he had done that caused her to act like this, and fix whatever it was. He didn't catch his slip of the tongue in calling to her until after the words left his mouth.

"Momo…. Did I say or do something to upset you? If I did, i'm sorry, I swear it wasn't on purpose."

Issei chastised himself internally for that slip-up, he was pretty sure that she really was his friend, but hadn't confirmed it with her yet. After his words Momo tensed up again, Issei seemed to only make the problem worse, and he could feel a wet spot on his chest from her escaping tears. So Issei did the only thing he could think of to try to soothe the girl lying on top of him, he tightened his grip around her, trying to hug away the problem.

A minute had passed of Momo crying into Issei's chest before she regained some control of herself. She now just laid there, still having her arms tightly wrapped around him. She rubbed her face against his shirt, to wipe away the tears, not wanting to let go and use her hands. She finally spoke, quietly, but spoke nonetheless.

"I'm sorry…"

Issei had just barely caught the words, and wasn't sure what she was talking about. What did she have to feel sorry for? He couldn't think of any reason for her apology.

"Sorry for what?" He said, his hands still embracing Momo.

The white-haired Bishop shifted slightly, loosening her grip enough to lift her face to make eye contact with Ise. When she did, it almost sent her into another set of tears, as Issei's face held nothing except concern for her, and whatever was bothering her. But she needed to say this to clear the air between them, and for Reya since she couldn't be here.

"Reya and I, we hurt you… I should've said we were friends no matter what happens in the meeting..But I didn't. I was so excited at the possibility of you joining us, that I didn't think everything through..I...We...were selfish..and I'm sorry." Momo's voice was still trembling slightly, but she got through it without any tears thankfully. She hated crying.

Momo watched Issei's face for any sort of reaction. She saw his eyes widen, and his face turn from worry to a radiant smile. That set her at ease, Momo was genuinely concerned that he wouldn't forgive her. That had been the last experience she had of this sort, but for some reason, she felt a lot more emotions of it regarding Issei this time. 'Even if this is only because of the dragons aura...I don't care..' Momo thought to herself.

"So...we're still friends?" Issei said, his face smiling. That confirmation was a big deal for him, he hadn't lost half of his friends at school afterall…

Momo smiled for the first time that night, and decided to answer not with words, but with an action that would put events into motion that she would be hard pressed to stop.

The Sitri Bishop removed her hands from around Issei, this time grabbing hold of each side of his face. Momo leaned her face closer to his, closing her eyes, before her lips made contact with his.

Issei's face started to turn bright red from the sudden occurence. He hadn't been prepared for his first kiss with a girl. He thought that he'd have to be the one initiating it, but he'd been proven wrong tonight.

The kiss that Momo planted on Issei wasn't complicated, no tongue or additional movement, just enough to get him to understand that she enjoyed being around him.

As Momo released Her lock on Issei's lips, the door was thrown open, with Katase and Murayama standing there wide eyed. Neither Issei or Momo paid any attention to them, still lost in their own events. Momo smiled as she raised her head.

"Yes we're still friends...for now.."

The kendo duo recovered from their shock, and yelled out to the boy they had anticipated to be up to no good.

"ISE! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

 **END**

 **I know this one is short compared to the rest….but next chapter will be a longer one, we're getting into Issei's final decision about joining Sona….FINALLY!**

 **So, give me thoughts about this one...Too rushed? Was the Kiss too soon? I'd like to say its justified. And gives me stuff to work with later on.**


	6. Enter New Waters

**So the responses I got from last chapter were helpful. After I posted the chapter, I started thinking that maybe I should have shown a bit more with Katase and Murayama before the kiss… so they didn't seem like their only purpose in this story was to cock-block Issei. But they're important pieces to this story.**

 **And no more show references I swear. I love the show, How I met your mother...True story…. Alright, now there won't be anymore references. I'm serious this time.**

 **I'm honestly surprised that no one asked about Sona's explanation on her evil piece.. I was honestly expecting to defend myself on how I presented it...especially since it makes Sona a little OOC-ish. But that was the desired result. I don't honestly believe she's as cold as she lets on, and that's the part I want to bring out a little bit.**

 **"...talking…"**

 **'...Thinking…'**

 **"** _ **..Host talking to Sacred gear only.."**_

 **[ Sacred gear spirit talking ]**

 _ **[Sacred gear spirit talking to host only ]**_

 **I OWN NOTHING**

 **Chapter 5**

Issei stood at the end of the hallway, after being dragged on the floor by Katase and Murayama, holding his left cheek. His cheek was red and throbbing from a hard slap from Murayama. After the two girls got him on his feet and started trying to interrogate him about what happened in the guest room, we was still lost in his own little world.

After the thud the two girls heard while they were trying to eavesdrop, they both feared what Issei was getting himself into even more, which escalated into panic when they saw a devil locking lips with their friend. When Issei wasn't responding to anything they said to him, they shared a knowing look with each other, after a mutual nod..Murayama gave Issei the hardest slap she could muster in the small space.

"What was that for?" Issei asked, rubbing the sore spot on his face.

If he hadn't been lost in thought about what Momo's kiss, and if that meant she was romantically interested in him, or if it was just a friendly kiss...He would have seen the concerned looks of the two in front of him. But now that he was paying attention, he could see it.

Katase was making an intense eye contact with Issei that he hadn't experienced before, it was different then when she would berate him for doing something stupid, it wasn't a look that he enjoyed seeing.

Murayama was shaking her right hand, trying to get rid of the sting radiating through it. Once she had, she shared the same look. It was more concerning seeing that look on the slightly more reserved of the two girls, and Issei knew something was wrong.

"What's wrong, you two okay?" He asked them.

Murayama was the quicker one to bring herself to voice her concerns, Katase was at a loss for words at the moment. Her experience with devils hadn't been bad per say, but it resulted in rekindling her small fear of abandonment. Not that she was dependent on Ise for anything, but the three of them had spent almost everyday together since their first meeting, and didn't like the idea of him not being around anymore.

Murayama steeled herself, they needed to hear what happened, and wouldn't show any leniency if he were hesitant to say it. She didn't have the abandonment Issue that Katase had, but didn't want something to happen to Issei. He was important to her, she hadn't put a label on what that meant yet, but her feelings were secondary to their current situation.

"Ise...What happened in there? Why are you involved with _their kind_? What do they want with you?" Murayama's voice was level, and deliberately didn't say "Devil" just in case they're suspicions were wrong. But how could they be? Why would devils have so much interaction with him, unless they wanted something from him. If he didn't know they were devils, she would come off as jealous, or just didn't like them...which was better than revealing that they were more than human.

Issei stopped rubbing his cheek when he heard what Murayama said, and her tone as she said it. The way she said "their kind" was surprising. She wasn't normally the stern one of the two. The thought of Katase and Murayama knowing about devils hadn't crossed his mind, thinking that Momo had just wronged them in some way before.

He was a little unsure of what to tell them, he could tell them about Sona wanting Issei to join the student council..but that didn't explain why she needed to come here so late. He didn't want to lie, but he hadn't decided if he was going to tell them about him being asked to become a devil, so he didn't see much of a choice here. So he settled with something that seemed believable, and not overly complicated.

"Sona-Kaichou asked me if I wanted to join the student council when we talked after school. I guess I left my phone in her office, and they found it after my mom sent me a few messages, so they brought it to me in case the messages were something important."

Katase's face grew red from anger, she knew he was lying, they heard his phone go off while they were standing outside. She didn't want to dance around the real subject anymore, her emotions getting the better of her, she grabbed issei's shirt collar and pulled his face closer to hers. She practically shouted at him before lowering her volume since Momo was still fairly closeby.

"DON'T lie to us Ise! We know what they are...they're devils. Now what do they want with you?"

Issei went wide eyed at Katase. 'They knew about devils? How?' he thought as he stared back into Katase's eyes. When the grip on his shirt was released, Issei took a step back, and looked between his two friends. Their unyielding stares not wavering in the slightest. Issei then realised his lie had been seen through, and that was the one thing he always said he'd never do to them. His head hung down for a second, feeling guilty for doing just that.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't sure if I should tell you about them. I didn't know if you'd believe me, or if it'd scare you. I wanted to tell you...I swear." Issei said as he lifted his head up to make eye contact with both of them.

Katase still hadn't recovered from her anger completely, especially when Ise hadn't really answered anything that they had asked him.

"You didn't answer the questions. Why are you involved with them, and what do they want with you?"

Issei wanted to just come out and say it, but remembering that Momo was still here, he thought it should wait until they could talk alone. And then he once he told them everything, he'd ask for their advice on what they thought...and if they'd still be around if he did turn into a devil.

"Can we talk about it in a little bit?"

Unbeknownst to the other three in the house, Momo had been able to hear everything that was being said. And once she heard that Katase and Murayama knew about the existence of devils, she paid extra close attention, also contemplating coming out to talk to the three that they meant no harm to Issei or anyone at Kuoh.

'How do they know about us? This could be bad, they might sway Issei against joining Kaichou, I need to clear the air here.'

Coming to her decision, Momo opened the guest room door, making her way into the hall. As she turned the corner of the hall where they stood, Momo was followed by the gaze of the kendo girls that had taken Ise from her, but Ise himself hadn't noticed her approach.

"Ise, I should really get going now." She said. The sound of her voice behind him made Issei jump.

"Momo! Gah, don't scare me like that..*phew* It is pretty late, so, I'll talk to you tomorrow?" Issei said hopefully. The memory of the kiss coming back in full force, but Issei was able to keep his face from flushing thankfully. He smiled over to his white-haired friend as he turned to face her. Once his back was turned, Katase and Murayama sent Momo Suspicious glares, they weren't just what the girl was pulling by kissing Issei.

Momo smiled back and nodded her head. Happy to see that their friendship was back on track. Her eyes then went to Katase and Murayama who were still staring at her.

"Yup, before I go...I'd like to say something. I could hear you talking from the guest room, devils have really sensitive ears. I just wanted to say, that Ise is my friend...devil or human doesn't matter to me, and we'd never intentionally bring any harm to him."

Momo didn't wait for a response, instead taking to bringing a magic circle underneath her to teleport herself back home. As the azure blue rune filled circle appeared underneath her, Issei, Katase and Murayama all looked on in amazement at the display. And after another moment, the circle shined brightly, and as the light died down Momo was gone from the house.

 **-Linebreak-**

Issei, Katase and Murayama had just finished the meal that had been prepared by the girls. It was a quiet and quick meal, all three of them were hungry from not having anything since lunch, and the time was quickly approaching midnight. Issei stood from his chair and gathered all of the dishes, quickly washing them as the girls went into the living room to wait for their talk with Ise about what was happening with him.

Ise wiped his hands of the soapy water from cleaning off the dishes that were used. Then made his way towards the living room, taking in a deep breath to prepare for whatever questions they might ask him, as well as the possible criticism. He walked into the living room, sitting on the chair off to the side of the couch, where Katase and Murayama were sitting.

"Okay. What do you want to know first?" Issei asked, not sure where to start. He figured they would bring up whatever it is they wanted to know. He shifted forward in his chair, finding the most comfortable position, since they could still be awake for a while.

Katase looked over from Issei, to Murayama, having a silent conversation between themselves about the order of their questions. They had spent so much time together over the years, that they could pretty much speak to the other without actually needing to say anything. She looked back to Issei before laying out her first question.

"How long have you known they were devils?"

Issei looked up to the clock, seeing the time, and did the math of exactly how long it had been since he found out.

"About 7 hours, at the meeting after school today."

Issei shifted his eyes back between Murayama and Katase. Their expressions were varied, Katase was still slightly angry at Ise for lying. Murayama was neutral at the moment, she was upset that Ise lied, worried about his involvement with devils, and relieved that Momo said they wouldn't harm him. Murayama spoke up with the next, and most important question.

"What do they want with you?"

Issei sighed, he knew this question would resurface, but the full answer was rather long. He wanted to make up for lying to them, so giving them the full rundown on what Sona told him seemed the best option.

"When I went to the student council, it started with just regular questions, mostly about what I wanted to do and what club i might join. Sona-kaichou asked me if i believed in anything supernatural, I said I was more curious about it than a believer. She told me a story about the history between the devils, angels, fallen angels, and 2 dragons."

"Dragons exist too?" Murayama asked, she figured that if devils existed, so did angels and fallen angels. There were probably more things too, but she hadn't considered dragons to be a real thing.

Issei nodded. "Yea, when she asked me if I would believe her if that story were all true, I told her i'd need proof...That's when she told me that her and the student council were all devils."

Katase jumped in at this point, thinking Issei was just stalling to avoid answering the question.

"That doesn't tell us what they were coming to you for." her voice was impatient.

Issei flinched bit at Katase's tone, she was right though, so far his story hadn't answered them. His turned apologetic.

"I know… I feel bad for lying to you earlier, I just don't want you two getting into something that might get you hurt. You already know about the devils, and you know just about everything there is to know about me, so I want to tell you everything… I don't like hiding things from you."

Murayama and Katase both felt better at that, so they nodded and waited for Issei to continue, trusting that he really would tell them everything.

"I didn't know why she would tell me that they were devils, so I asked what it was they wanted. She said there's something inside me that might make people look for me, and if they can't find me, they could go after my family and friends. I thought maybe she just wanted to take whatever this thing was and that'd be the end of it. But she said that she wanted me to join her...to become a devil. And that she wanted my help saving a friend from something, and to help change the underworld by teaching young devils in a school she wants to open. She said she would help me get stronger so I could protect you two, my parents, anyone I care about."

The two girls got a little nervous when Issei said that they, along with anyone Ise knows could be in danger just for the fact that they were associated with him. And even more so when he mentioned Sona asking him to become a devil. Katase was the more affected, if only by a little bit. She lost eye contact with Issei, her head hanging down when she spoke up.

"When she asked if you'd become a devil what did you say?"

"I didn't give her an answer, she gave me this chess piece and then I left."

Issei said as he reached into his pocket, pulling out the pawn piece Sona handed to him. When Issei touched it, the blue color pulsed again, this time barely emitting any light that was nowhere near the intensity it had earlier. Issei felt the same sensation of moving water when he held he pawn in his hand. The girls breathed a relieved sigh that he hadn't become a devil...yet..

Issei brought them back out of their heads when he said that wasn't everything he had to say.

"After I got home, I was holding this pawn and fell asleep, or I guess was forced unconscious."

Katase and murayama both had confused expressions when he said that, now they didn't blame him for not calling them after school. They noticed that the chess piece Ise was holding had the same blue light they saw from his bedroom window earlier, and it was the same color that appeared around Momo as she disappeared.

"The thing Sona-Kaichou said I had inside me, it was one of the dragons from the story she told me, and a soul of one of the previous wielders forced me asleep to talk to me...She could only do it because of the power from the chess piece, I'm not strong enough to talk to them yet."

'She?' Katase and Murayama both thought, noticing a pattern, that Issei seemed to have a lot of girls starting to come around him. They didn't speak up though, rather just listening as he continued what happened to him...no matter how strange all of it may sound.

"Her name was Elsha, she said that the dragon is still asleep, and will be unless I get stronger. So I can't even use whatever abilities this dragon gives me. Elsha told me that she knows the family that Sona-Kaichou is from, and that they're trustworthy, the don't lie to people to get them to join them. After that, I woke up and you guys were knocking on the door."

 **-LineBreak-**

The two girls just sat there, taking in all the information that Issei had given them. He was asked to become a devil, they could be hurt just for knowing him, and he apparently had a dragon's soul inside of his. They both noticed how Issei hadn't said whether he wanted to accept the offer or not.

"Do you want to become a devil?" Katase asked looking at the boy sitting to the side of her and her friend. Issei shook his head. Issei was looking exhausted from today, in a matter of under 12 hours, his entire view of the world had been changed.

"Honestly...I don't know what to do. All I really want is to live with people I care about in peace...But… Even Elsha said that was pretty much a pipe dream, that eventually people will come for me. So I guess all I can really hope for is to keep those people safe, if I can do that, I don't care what I am."

Issei was going through scenarios in his head, what could happen if he didn't accept becoming a devil, and possibly never waking his gear when he needed it. And then if he became a devil, he'd at least have a chance to protect the two in front of him. That brought another thought made its way to Issei, what would happen to their friendship if he did become a devil? The thought made him nervous, he didn't want to believe they'd throw that away, but it was a possibility.

"Katase...Murayama. If I were a devil, would...we still be friends?" His question was quiet, the girls knew he only got like that when he was afraid of whatever the answer would be.

Murayama answered for the both of them, not waiting for Katase to think about it. There was no way they'd just push Issei away because he became a devil to keep them and his family safe. Even though he was considering becoming something that was written to be nothing but evil, his intentions were anything but that.

"Of course we would, is that why you haven't answered yet?"

Both Katase and Murayama smiled when they saw Issei nod slightly with a small frown on his face. Underneath all the perversion, Issei was a pure and simple guy. All he really wanted was people to love, whether they be friends or something more, and to help those who needed it.

"That, and how my parents would take it if they ever found out. They're finally proud of me again, I really don't to disappoint them anymore than I already have." Issei said, his tone coming back to normal, knowing now that he'd still have two good friends no matter what.

"We'll help you with whatever you need Ise...As long as you don't change back into a pervert." katase said, her soft tone turning into a teasing one at the end. She agreed with Murayama, what Ise was biologically didn't matter.

"Hehe, thanks guys."

Issei said with a laugh, if he reverted back into the pervert he used to be, he knew there'd be hell to pay from these two. With knowing that they would be by his side, his decision was just about made. But there was still one more thing issei wanted to know before he made it final. And was just who Sona's friend was that needed his help, and what that help entailed. Sona made it sound like she had a plan, if he was going to change his entire entire being to help this person, he needed to know what that plan was.

"I think… I might do it, become a devil I mean. I just have to ask Sona-Kaichou one more question. Who is her friend that needs help, and how she intends to do it.."

The girls looked curiously at Issei seeing his expression change when he talked about Helping this random person. The silence continued with the trio lost in thought. Then Murayama brought them back to reality with a question that couldn't further from anything they had been talking about.

"Hey Ise. Why don't you call Yui and I by our first names? You called the girl earlier by her first name."

Issei and Katase both stared at Kaori, they were taken back by her question, it was just so….random. But Katase agreed, why didn't he? He knew them longer and better than the thieving snow white. Issei turned his head up, a hand under on his chin.

"I guess because, I didn't think you wanted me to, and I didn't want to make you mad and get hit any more than necessary."

"Well you should. I think we've passed that point don't you?"

 **-LineBreak-**

Issei woke up to his alarm clock, groggy from staying up later than he usually did, and then had too much on his mind to fall asleep quickly. He was laying on his bed face down, blanket barely covering the lower half of his body from all of his tossing and turning in the few hours of sleep he actually had. He slowly lifted his left arm, bringing it down full force onto the noisy clock that dared disturb the rest he really needed. Issei groaned as the light of the morning sun came through the clit in his window curtains, raising his head to wipe away the sleep that wanted to pull him back in.

"Ugh...Mornings….I hate them. What can't school start in the afternoon." He groaned in a raspy morning voice.

Issei lifted himself up with his arms, trying his best to not fall back asleep, and pulled his knees in to sit on. Issei stretched his arms up, yawning, finally coming out of his daze. A feminine voice came from behind him near his desk.

"Ufufu Good morning sleepy head, I take it you're not a morning person."

At the sound of the voice in his room, Issei turned 180 degrees and jumped back towards the headboard of his bed, smacking the back of his head on it as he overshot his movement. Issei closed his eyes from the sting the sudden contact with the wood gave him. Issei rubbed the spot of his head where he hit, slowly opening his eyes to see who had trespassed in his room. He was absolutely sure that he locked his door when he fell asleep. He wouldn't forget to do that after the one time Murayama and Katase slept over and decided to pour ice cold water on him to wake him up to go for a 430 am run around town.

As his eyes opened, his vision was fairly blurry, still recovering from both just waking up as well as the impact against his bed. He could see the outline of his window, his desk next to it, and a shadowy figure sitting in the chair at the desk, with one leg crossed over the other. The shadowy figure was clearly a girl, based on the curves he could make out. The hair was long, so it wasn't Katase. But the hair of this figure cascaded over her the front of her shoulders, so it wasn't Murayama either...So who was it?

Issei's vision continued to clear, he could now make out the color of the hair of the girl in his room, it was same brown as his, and the hair that laid over each shoulder was tied into braids. Issei had only met one girl with those features, but why would she be in his room so early in the morning?

Issei's suspicion was confirmed as his vision returned fully, and he could see the girl facing him.

The light brown eyes, with that gentle smile, and overall calm demeanor. There was no doubt about it, Issei was seeing Reya in his bedroom...and as far as he knew, he was awake. So Issei asked the only thing he could at the moment, with his brain still not at 100%.

"Reya, is that you? Why are you here so early?"

The figure who Issei thought to be Reya stood up from the chair, and made her way towards him, her hips swaying with each movement. Issei couldn't help but to get a little excited at the site in front of him, an alluring female figure swaying her hips as she walks towards you in your own bedroom...It was the start of many fantasies he'd had in the past. For this to be happening first thing in the morning was like a dream come true.

As the figure stood in front of him, he could take in the full form clearly, and it was most definitely Reya. Bending down to be eye level with Issei, the braids of her hair swaying from the movement, but still laying in the valley between her ample bust. As Issei was struggling to keep eye contact with her, his eyes wanting to just stare at the magnificent pair of breasts a mere 2 feet in front of him, she placed her right index finger on his forehead and pushed lightly. Her smile widening as her push almost made Issei fall back into his bed.

"Ufufu, Yes that's me. I wanted to talk to you, I thought you might enjoy me waking you up."

Issei recovered from Reya's contact before falling into his bed, sitting back up. His eyes landing on the strained white button down shirt of the girls Kuoh uniform, noticing how the button between her breasts was straining to keep them hidden from the world, secretly wishing that it was burst open to give him a peek inside. Issei's drowsy state left him in limbo between his old perverted self and his new and more controlled mindset, so he at least wasn't making grabbing gestures with his hands.

Reya's gaze caught where Issei was looking, but didn't really mind, knowing how hard he was working to control himself, an occasional slip up wasn't that worrisome. Instead of scolding Issei, she aimed to kill two birds with one stone. First and more importantly, was to have the same progress as Momo, not wanting to fall behind. And secondly was to make sure Issei was fully awake.

Reya placed her right hand under Issei's chin, her thumb resting just under his bottom lip, and pulled his gaze up to hers. She leaned in closer, just as Issei had met where her eyes were, and closed them before her lips made contact with Issei's. Her kiss to Issei was quick, lasting barely 2 seconds, but it did the trick...Issei was wide awake now.

Instead of removing herself completely from Issei, after her lips pulled away from Issei's, Reya tilted her forehead into his, leaving it there as she said what was on her mind. Issei's eyes were wide in shock, two girls that he'd only known for less than a week had kissed him on their own, and for reasons he didn't understand.

"Ise...I want you to know that I'm sorry for how I handled things between us."

Issei tried to focus his sight onto Reya, but with her being so close, her head laying against his, he couldn't...so he settled for closing his eyes, to take in everything she was saying.

Reya's voice was only held more emotional than usual, which was new, seeing as he had only been around Reya when she was calm and smiling.

"I wish I had told you, how much I want to know more about you, to spend more time with you. Even after only two days, I know you're an important person to me."

The surprise kiss from Reya had brought what little function Issei's had brain had gained to a grinding halt. He wasn't ready for anything of this sort, and was just scrounging for something to say to the girl as he was taking in the scent of whatever shampoo Reya had used recently. The only thing on his mind was the pleasant smell of strawberry radiating from the brunette attached to him. He tried to speak to her, but she cut him off, as she lifted herself back to a standing position, and held her finger against his lips.

"I need to go, we can talk later, okay?"

Instead of words, Issei only nodded, his mouth held open, still recoiling from the shock of the unexpected events. Reya smiled again towards him, tracing her hand along Issei's jaw as a blue magic circle appeared underneath her, and disappeared just as Momo had the night before.

 **-LineBreak-**

Issei made his way downstairs to have something to eat before heading off to school. As he made it to the base of the stairs, he caught the sight of the entryway to his house, seeing two extra pairs of shoes.

'Oh yeah, they stayed over since it was so late.' Issei thought, realising that the shoes belonged to Katase and Murayama. This wasn't the first time they had sent the night at his house. A few weeks after they met, Issei learned that Katase had been living with Murayama for a while now. Murayama had said that their house was being fogged for termites, so she asked if they could stay over for a night. Little did Issei know, that was only a ploy to try and test his resolve in the training they had been giving him.

The two girls had gotten into his room in the middle of the night, gotten into the skimpiest clothes they each owned, and crawled into his bed after setting a camera in the corner to see how he would react to waking with them in his bed when he woke up.

They had been genuinely surprised when he hadn't even tried to grope them, seeing the quick results of being separated from his two perverted buddies from his other school. Thus they were determined to limit the time he spent with Matsuda and Motohama. The more controlled Issei was actually pleasant to be around.

Issei stepped into the kitchen to find the two girls already sitting down at the table with his father. His mother just finishing cooking their breakfast, she turned to see her son enter and sent him a teasing smile.

"Ise, you should have told us Kaori and Yui were staying over, we would've just gotten a hotel room to give you three some privacy."

His mother said, much to the dismay of the three teenagers, both Katase and Murayama choking on their drinks. Issei had turned bright red from the implication that he invited the girls over for an intimate night alone without nosey parents around.

Catching onto the tone of his wife, Issei's father continued to embarrass the three teens, as he lowered his newspaper to look his son in the eyes.

"So Ise, who can we expect to have our first grandchild?"

"Mom, Dad, what the hell?!" Was the only thing Issei could say in response to his parents. He'd told them over and over again that they were only friends and nothing more. But they still insisted that there was more going, and his father couldn't have been more proud, as a young man he wished to build a harem of his own...Apparently the apple didn't fall far from the tree.

His mother spoke again, further driving in the sentiment that her husband had started.

"I wouldn't mind having both of them as my daughter-in-law."

His parents were too weird to handle sometimes.

 **-LineBreak-**

Issei was on his way to school, walking in between Katase and Murayama, who had been glaring at him ever since his parents made comments about them having children together. They thought that Issei had given them the idea that there was something going on when there wasn't, they were only friends..that was all.

Ise made sure that his eyes were set straight ahead of him, so as not to set off either of the girls, he could feel their gazes burning a hole into his head. They had been walking like this for the past fifteen minutes, and were getting near the school gates. Before they made it into the campus, Issei wanted to explain that he hadn't said anything to warrant his parents comments, they just had already thought of the two girls as family given the amount of time they spent around Issei.

Issei stopped in his tracks on the sidewalk about 300 feet from the entrance to Kuoh academy, the two girls stopping with him, and their gaze never leaving his temple. Issei sighed as he glanced at each of them and spoke.

"I swear on my life, that I have never given my parents the idea that we are anything but friends, they just really like you two." He said, holding his right hand over his heart in an attempt to give extra meaning to his words, but it didn't work.. That was made clear by the words Katase said.

"You lied to us yesterday, so how can we believe anything you say?" She said as she crossed her arms under her chest, still glaring at Issei in a combination of irritation and embarrassment.

Issei turned towards the pink haired girl, the volume of his voice reaching levels that were dangerous, almost being able to reach the students on the campus grounds.

"Seriously?! I said I was sorry about that, how was I supposed to know you knew what they were?"

Issei caught on to how loud his voice was, and rightfully corrected it. His hands together in a prayer like manner, begging for them to forgive him for something he hadn't actually done.

"I didn't say anything like that, I swear! Please, don't be mad at me, I hate it when you two are like this!"

Even with his begging, the two girls kept their arms crossed and the glare on Issei.

But then their glare faltered, and both were sent into a fit of laughter. Katase was holding her hands around her stomach, and Murayama tried to hide her laughter with a hand over her mouth.

"Pfft, hahahahaha. Did you really think we were mad at you Ise? We know you're parents were just messing with you." Katase said, trying to keep herself from laughing long enough to speak. Her and Murayama often played off of the teasing his parents would give him whenever they came over, last time it was just about which one was his girlfriend….Now having kids with both of them?

Issei was stuck, he had gotten used to the teasing, but he really thought they were still mad about the lie from last night. But he was relieved that didn't seem to be the case, so he resumed in walking to school.

Issei was thinking about how and when to approach Sona about his last question, before possibly becoming a devil. Should he do it before or after school? Probably after, who knows how long that process takes, and would it hurt? As they walked through the gates, a tug was felt on Issei's shirt from the right side. Looking towards it, he saw Murayama looking at him like she wanted something.

"What's up Murayama?" Murayama's face turned into a pout.

"Ise, you agreed to use our first names" She said through puffed cheeks and narrowed eyes.

Issei rubbed the back of his head, he forgot about that part of their conversation. He had a small smile on his face as he spoke.

"Heh, sorry..Kaori, I forgot. So, did you need something?"

Murayama let go of Issei's shirt, glancing between him and Katase, she nodded.

"When you go talk to the Vice-President, can we come with you?"

"?!" Issei was surprised that they wanted to bring themselves around the devils of their school, he didn't think they would after how they interrogated him last night. Issei didn't know how they knew about devils, but that was something that could wait until later. Issei couldn't think of a reason for them not to come with, if that was what they wanted.

"I don't mind, but are you sure that you want to?" He asked, looking from Katase to Murayama. Katase stepped a little closer to her two friends, keeping her voice low enough so that no one else would be listening in.

"We're sure Ise. We told you, that we'll help you with anything. And this is a big deal, we want to be there for you."

Katase grabbed onto Issei's hand and held onto it, her eyes held both a comforting and serious look. Issei smiled at her, grateful for their support. She was right though, this was a big deal, and having friends by your side to support you was always a good thing.

"Alright, We'll go talk to Sona-Kaichou after school then. Let's head to class."

 **-LineBreak-**

The Final bell of the day rang throughout Kuoh Academy, signalling the time for Issei to go and talk with Sona, with Katase and Murayama by his side. He slowly gathered his books and put them in his bag, he didn't need to rush, since the two girls were coming to his classroom before heading off to the student council office.

Issei hadn't seen Momo or Reya all day, they weren't in any of his classes today. He figured that whatever Reya had to leave for this morning involved Momo as well. But during lunch, Issei had seen the tall girl with long straight black hair, Tsubaki Shinra. Issei asked if he could speak to Sona after school, which she said that it wouldn't a problem. She was a little apprehensive about him bringing the two girls that were seated next to him, but Issei told her that they had known about her kind longer than he had, so she reluctantly agreed and left to inform her King.

Issei hadn't really been paying attention in his classes today, thinking of the things he wanted to ask Sona before giving his final reply on if he'd become a devil under her. He had gone over all of the things that happened yesterday, which was a lot more than he was used to. One thing that Elsha said to him stood out to him, she referred to Sona as a Sitri, and not Shitori. That'd be his first question.

"Ise, you ready?" Murayama's voice came from the doorway, Issei looked up as he placed the last book in his bag, and saw the two girls ready and waiting. Issei held a nervous smile, it was time to possibly change his life forever.

"Honestly...I'm nervous, but...let's go."

 **-LineBreak-**

Issei, along with Katase and Murayama, stood at the door to the student council. Issei held his hand out to knock on the door, he looked to his left where the girls stood beside him, and took a deep breath as he saw them give a nod telling him that it was now or never.

 ***KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK***

Issei lowered his hand, waiting for someone inside to allow him to enter, he didn't wait very long. The door was pulled open, and one of the two members whose name he hadn't yet learned was the one standing there. It was the girl with blue hair and eyes who was only just a bit shorter than Tsubaki.

Her ocean blue eyes met Issei's then glanced over to Katase and Murayama, she must have been informed that there would be three arrivals, because she didn't look surprised to see the two girls. The blue eyed girl smiled as she pulled the door fully open, stepping in line with the door and one hand gesturing inside.

"Come in, Kaichou is at her desk."

The three nodded, and entered inside in single file, Issei leading the way. Katase and Murayama took in the look of the expensive and rather fancy looking furniture pieces that the student council had, Issei was only facing straight ahead.

Walking deeper into the room of the student council, Issei saw the rest of the members, and one who he couldn't recall seeing before. She was a girl just about Issei's height, maybe a tad shorter, with raven black hair just like Tsubaki and Sona. Her hair was held into a ponytail with an orange ribbon, and flowed down to her calf. Her eyes were the same violet as Sona's, but they didn't pull Issei in like Sona's did. While Sona's eyes were calming and analytical, this new girls eyes were...mischievous.

She wore the standard girls uniform, with black socks that ended just below her knees. Her figure was just as alluring as the Red haired girl Issei had met yesterday. Her arms and legs were toned and slender. The most eye catching aspect to her for Issei, was the size of her breasts. 'THEY'RE HUGE!' were his thoughts as he had a hard time looking away. But a quick pinch to his side from Murayama brought him back to reality.

The new girl was finishing up a discussion with Sona, so when the door opened, her full attention was drawn to the three new bodies in the room. Her violet eyes landed on Katase and Murayama, and seemed to be appraising their value, for what exactly Issei wasn't sure. When her eyes came to Issei, the look of appraisal left, and a flicker of familiarity came with a matching smile. This girl looked to be the very definition of the perfect traditional japanese woman with all of her features.

The new girl faced directly towards Issei, then Sona spoke just quiet enough for the humans in the room to be unable to hear it. Akeno nodded with a smile, before walking towards Issei, to leave the student council office.

As she walked passed Issei, her eyes stayed on him, and her smile turned from a kind one...into a smile that sent both excitement and shivers throughout his body. Once she was passed him, and had closed the door behind her, Issei saw both Momo and Reya standing side by side. Reya had that calm and sweet smile she usually did. Momo was waving exuberantly, bouncing slightly as she did.

"Tsubaki informed me that you wanted to speak to me. What is it that I can do for you Issei?" Sona said, bringing his attention from the two bishops to her. Sona was now in front of her desk, leaning backwards onto it. Issei noticed that she seemed more relaxed now than she had when they last spoke in this room yesterday. Issei cleared his throat, and repeated the questions he wanted to ask in his head.

"Yes Kaichou. I'm pretty sure I have my answer to joining you. I just wanted to ask a few questions before making it final."

The girls of Sona's peerage had fallen in line to the side of the room, listening closely. When Issei said he had just about made his choice, Momo was trying not to bounce uncontrollably from excitement. Reya's face was still smiling, but was playing with her hands in front of her waist, trying to hold down the excess emotions running through her. The blue haired girl had her gaze locked onto Issei, as if trying to piece together a puzzle. Tsubaki held her stoic gaze, switching between Issei, Sona, and the girls that had followed Issei. The girl with the reddish brown hair was looking at the kendo girls nervously, like she was worried about what could be said in front of them.

Sona stood up from her position against her desk, walking back to her chair, and sitting down into it. Her hand gesturing to the chair on the opposite of the desk.

"Of course, why don't you sit, and I'll answer anything i'm able to."

Issei nodded, stepping around the fancy wooden chair before taking his spot in it. There was only one chair next to him, so Issei looked back to Katase and Murayama to see where they wanted to position themselves. But they had apparently already decided to stand behind him, one on each side, and a hand on each shoulder.

Sona took her usual stance, elbows leaned onto the table with her fingers laced together, and chin resting against them. Her crystal clear violet eyes pulling Issei in, not moving an inch from his light brown irises.

Issei took a silent breath, trying not to show that being here was making him nervous. The squeeze on each of his shoulders told him that Katase and Murayama could already tell. That sentiment helped, his questions were clear in his mind. So he began what could possibly be the last conversation he'd ever have as a human.

"Yesterday, Elsha mentioned you by the name Sitri, instead of Shitori. Is Shitori an alias of some kind?"

Sona removed her chin from her hands, laying them onto the table, fingers still laced.

"Yes, Shitori is an alias I took when I came to the human world. My real name is Sona Sitri, I am the Heiress of my family. The Sitri family is an old and noble family name of the underworld, which is a part of the 34 remaining bloodlines out of 72 that existed previous to the great war."

Issei took in this information, a bit saddened at hearing that potentially half or more of her kind had been wiped out in that war she told him about yesterday, death was something Issei had never handled well. But what's done is done, that was an event from multiple generations ago, nothing he could do about it. So he nodded and asked his second and most important question.

"You told me, that you want me to help a friend of yours, from being _enslaved_ to someone. I'd like to know more about this situation, who this friend is, and the plan that I can help with."

Katase and Murayama hardened their grip on Issei at his tone when he said "enslaved". One particular talk made it abundantly clear how Issei felt about forcing someone to do something against their will… It was a mutual feeling between the three of them, forcing someone into something they didn't want was absolutely unforgivable.

Sona rose an eyebrow at the change in issei's voice, having never expected him to hold animosity towards anyone. But in the situation he was asking about, that could help her, to help Rias her long time friend and future rating game rival.

"You've already met the person in question. A long time friend of mine, Rias Gremory, a 2nd year student here at Kuoh Academy. And also a devil of noble blood."

At the last name of the girl Issei was supposed to help, both Katase and Murayama withheld the urge to facepalm. Of course, it was just his luck to be needed by the daughter of a woman that Issei had been hitting on a few months back...The fact that she had been fairly receptive to his advances was more worrisome now that he'd be in direct contact with that womans daughter.

Issei on the other hand was trying to remember where he had heard that name before. Being only the third day of school, Issei could count the 2nd year students he'd met on one hand. There was Sona, Tsubaki...and then that redhead he bumped into...wait…

'Rias Gremory, that was the redhead's name with the huge knockers and purple lace panties!' Issei thought as his eyes went wide. What kind of situation had the girl gotten into he wondered.

"What I meant when I said that she was being forced to be someones slave, is that she is being forced into an arranged marriage, which is a very old custom of pure-blood devils. But this man she is engaged to, Raiser Phenex. He only sees her as a trophy, as his property. He openly speaks about the things he'll force her to do, and that he'll do to the rest of her peerage once they get married. He's been known to sexually abuse the members of his own peerage, until they willingly submit to him, effectively turning them into his slaves."

Issei's hands clenched tightly around the chair hearing the actions of the man that was trying to lay claim to Sona's friend. His hair shadowed his face, leaving Sona the only one to be able to see what his expression was. It was one full of disgust and rage.

Issei mumbled quietly to himself, Katase and Murayama unable to hear what he said, but they didn't need to. They knew Issei well, and had a very good idea of the things that were going through his mind. The female devils in the room however, were all a bit shocked and happy at what they heard Issei mutter.

"Women are not toys. They're people... And should be admired, respected, loved….NOT beaten, and broken to do anything you want….This….monster...deserves nothing but death...beaten into the ground until there's nothing left."

Feeling the tension coming off of Issei, Katase and Murayama both leaned forward their cheeks nearly touching his, and alternated whispering to try and calm Issei down.

"Ise, you need to calm down" Murayama spoke first

"No one here is in danger, he'll get what's coming to him." Katase finished, they both lifted themselves up when they saw Issei release his grip on the chair, and lift his head up.

"Issei if you decide that you want to join me, I have a plan that will ensure no one will be able to harm Rias or her peerage. Rias' only option, other than Raiser agreeing to end the engagement, is another custom devils have...It's called a Rating Game."

Issei's eyes still held some anger from thinking about how Sona's friend would be treated, if this marriage were allowed to happen. But it was minimal compared to just a moment ago, thanks to Katase and Murayama. Issei took a deep breath in through his nose, and let it out through his mouth, letting the rage dissipate. Then returning his gaze to Sona, She continued explaining her plan, seeing Issei's attempt to calm himself.

"The rating game is where a devil with a peerage is set against another peerage in combat. The rules vary based on the type of game, but the goal is to incapacitate the king of the opposing peerage, along with any of the other kings servants. Should you be the winner, Rias' engagement will be dissolved. However should you lose, the marriage will be set in stone, with no further options to escape it outside of either Rias or Raiser dying."

Issei was listening carefully of how to free Rias of this man who seemed to be as evil as books had described devils. What he took away from her explanation, was that all he really needed to do, was to take out Raiser and the marriage wouldn't happen...And she'd be safe. So he would need to train himself with that in mind if he were to join Sona. At this point, it sounded like Rias needed Issei, just as much as Issei wanted to protect his loved ones.

The doubt Issei felt about becoming a devil had further withered away, his ambition to protect everyone he could taking over. Now there was only one more thing Issei needed to know, how the process worked, and how it would effect him.

"Kaichou, can you tell me what goes into the reincarnation process? Will I feel anything from it?"

The entirety of Sona's peerage had been standing there silent, just listening to what the two of them said. They had the misfortune of meeting Raiser on one occasion, and the impression he left on them resulted in a similar response to the one Issei had given. Raiser didn't deserve any of the girls that he commanded, he was devil trash.

When Katase and Murayama leaned close to Issei's face, Momo tried her best to restrain the jealousy that was clawing its way out of her. Reya merely looked on in great interest, not minding the very obvious feelings the kendo girls shared with Momo and herself. But Reya seemed to be the only one to accept how she felt about Issei. Dragons attracted both power and lust, they were also known for guarding anything they valued with great ferocity.

Sona lifted her hands, palms facing up to the ceiling, the newly familiar blue magic circle appearing just above her hands. A chess board appeared in Sona's hands, with one set of pieces on the board, with some of the piece missing. Sona placed the board onto her desk, and picked up the king piece. The pieces left on the board were 7 pawns, one rook and one knight. The remaining pieces were the same pure white as the one she had given Issei. The board that the pieces stood on was glowing in an azure blue, pulsing just as the pawn had in Issei's grasp last night.

"As I said last night, these chess pieces are used to reincarnate beings into devils. Once used they turn to the color of their respective king, in my case, Blue. These pieces reside inside of each member, and give the person they are used on certain enhancements. The feeling of when this piece enters you differs from each king, my members will tell you it feels like floating down a river. The pieces can be forced to bond with anyone, but each are best suited with specific type of person, and each have their merits and faults. The bishops are best suited to an empathetic and supportive personality, which are Momo and Reya, they get enhanced magical prowess. My knight Tomoe Meguri, gets a boost to speed, this piece is best used with someone who's loyal beyond any other. My rook, Yura Tsubasa, gets incredible strength and defense, is best used with those that have unbreakable morals. That leaves what are two most versatile pieces. My Queen Tsubaki Shinra, gets the perks of all the other pieces, and is best for the one closest to the king in personality. The pawn, has no immediate bonuses. But when they enter enemy territory, they can choose any piece to promote to, except the king. Pawns are best when paired with someone who can blend into almost any situation."

As Sona listed off the pieces, she pointed to the girl with reddish brown hair,Tomoe Meguri, as her knight. The tall girl with blue hair and eyes, Yura Tsubasa, as her rook. Tsubaki was her queen. And by process of elimination, Issei would be a pawn. Being called a pawn was a little bit of a blow to the ego, until Sona explained how the pawn was useful. Along with the queen, they could be the most influential of the pieces.

'Floating down a river...just like last night.' Issei thought as he recalled how Sona said it would feel to have her reincarnate him. He had that very same feeling just before Elsha pulled him into the boosted gear.

Issei stood from his chair, taking a glance at each of the people he knew and trusted in the room. Momo and Reya, Katase and Murayama, were all looking at him. He stood less than a foot in front of Sona's desk, he'd made his decision.

"Kaichou, I want to join you."

Sona smiled brighter than she had in a _very_ long time. She had just gained the Red Dragon Emperor as a member of her peerage. Her plans change the underworld for the better were now looking far better than before.

 **END**

 **Alright, before you blast me for Reya's seemingly unexpected behavior, let me say this. Reya is a generally a calm and composed person, who knows what she wants. And she wants Issei.**

 **Momo is more of a go with the flow, she knows that Issei is someone she values, but how much she hasn't quite caught on to yet.**

 **Its really late, and my brain isn't quite functioning as it should, so give me thoughts on the rest. I really wanted to establish some sort of starting point for some of the relationships with the girls by the time he became a devil, because less romance stuff will be happening from here.**

 **Theres probably a TON of spelling and gramatical errors, i'll get to those either at work tomorrow (SUNDAY 7/31) or monday**


	7. Sleeping Beauty

**Read my explanation at the end.**

 **"...talking…"**

 **'...Thinking…'**

 **"** _ **..Host talking to Sacred gear only.."**_

 **[ Sacred gear spirit talking ]**

 _ **[Sacred gear spirit talking to host only ]**_

 **I OWN NOTHING**

"Kaichou, I want to join you."

Sona smiled brighter than she had in a _very_ long time. She had just gained the Red Dragon Emperor as a member of her peerage. Her plans change the underworld for the better were now looking far better than before.

 **Chapter 6**

The members of the Student Council stood across from Issei, Katase and Murayama. Sona had the 7 other pawn pieces sitting on the desk next to her, she knew Issei would need more than 1 piece, but the exact number was unknown. But before Sona would reincarnate him, some other parts of being a devil should be explained to Issei. Her hand traced over the pawn pieces as she looked back to the boy who would potentially become her _only_ pawn.

"Issei, before I reincarnate you, I want to tell you what else goes into being a devil."

Sona lifted her right hand, and a piece of paper appeared in it through the brief glimmer of a magic circle. The paper had the Sitri family crest in the center, Sona held it out to Issei who took it and glanced over the symbols.

"Devils are ranked by a class system. When someone is first reincarnated as a devil, they are considered low-class, a servant devil to their king. The majority of devils are in this rank. The paper I handed you is a summoning seal, we use that to be summoned by humans to grant their desires for a fair price. This is one way that devils make their way into Middle-class. There is no difference between Low and Middle class, other than the acknowledgement of your strength and knowledge by devil society. Performance in rating games is among the ways to advance, as well as performance in a conflict like a war or battle of some kind outside of a rating game. The pacts with humans and rating games are the most efficient ways to go up in rank, since the cease-fire is still in effect." Sona said to Issei, watching him look over the summoning seal.

"From middle class you rank up to high class, the same methods are used to determine if someone is worthy of the title. When someone becomes a high-class devil, they are given a set of evil pieces to make a peerage of their own." Sona finished. Sona hadn't made Issei an official member of her peerage yet, but that didn't mean she wasn't thinking of ways to motivate him further, wanting to draw out his ambitions to become stronger. Sona and by extension, Rias, would need him to reach a level of strength that had never been attained in the amount of time they had left. And what better way to motivate someone who had been previously talked about making a harem, then to subtly give him step by step instructions of achieving just that.

Issei lifted his eyes from the paper, looking back to Sona.

"Kaichou, is this a point based system? A value placed on each commendation to know when I'd be able to go up a rank?"

Katase and Murayama, who were still standing directly behind Ise, listening closely to their talk. Sona hadn't paid them any attention, choosing to focus on Ise since he was the one she would be recruiting. They'd learned quite a bit more about devils today. The biggest piece of information being that, if Issei made his way up in the ranks, he could reincarnate people himself. As interesting as that was, the thought of Issei being in control over a group of people, probably all women was frightening. Issei could hardly manage himself.

"Unfortunately not. The ones that are determined to be eligible to take the test to progress to the higher rank, is overseen by a committee of elder devils." Sona replied to Issei.

'Well there goes ever getting a peerage of my own. Never been good with first impressions hehe.' Issei thought. The only positive first impressions he'd made, had been with Sona, that he could recall at least.

"I see. Is there anything else Kaichou?" He asked the violet eyed girl. Sona nodded her head and held up her right index finger.

"Yes, one more thing. In the next month or two, we'll need to get a familiar for you."

Issei's eyebrow rose in confusion. Issei had heard the term from videogames before, creatures mostly animal-like, that were in some sort of master-servant pact..Much like Issei would soon be to Sona.

"Familiar?" he asked.

Sona pushed her glasses up on the bridge of her nose, and nodded.

"Yes. A creature that is contracted to you only, and will help you in any way you see fit. They come in a wide variety of forms, most can only communicate with their master, but some are capable of speech."

Issei thought about what kind of creatures he would have the chance to be contracted to. His thoughts slipped into wondering if there were any female humanoid familiars for….reasons. But now that Sona had said all she felt necessary at this time, she brought him back to reality.

"Now that's finished. Issei, are you ready to be reincarnated?" Sona said, trying to hide the excitement of having such a potential powerhouse being hers.

Issei looked around the room. Yura was still looking at Issei like he was a mystery. Tomoe had stopped being nervous about the Kendo girls being in the room, and gave Issei a bright smile with a thumbs up. Momo and Reya were both clearly excited that Issei would be joining their peerage. Tsubaki mirrored Sona's expression, which was that of a small smile.

"I'm ready." Issei said, coming back into eye contact with Sona.

 **-LineBreak-**

Sona stood in front of Issei, with 6 of her pawns in her left hand, the other 2 were in her right hand held up to Issei's chest. The 2 pawns started to glow lightly, meaning Issei needed more than only 2 pieces. This didn't really surprise Sona all that much, the power of a heavenly dragon was bound to be costly, but it was a price she was willing to pay.

Sona had done this process a few more times, now seeing what reaction 6 pawns would receive, the glow was only a little brighter than before. Sona held her usual stoic expression, but some of her servants were getting nervous that he would require too many pieces. Momo bit her bottom lip, hoping to hear that he wouldn't require more than the 8 pieces given to each high-class devil. Reya was hiding the same emotion as Momo, she took to shifting her weight from side to side, trying to remain still.

Sona placed all 8 pieces onto Issei's chest, and felt them resonate in the familiar form they had for her with each previous time she used them. The pieces then started to glow much brighter than they had before, and began to move around by themselves, forming a circle on the center of his chest. The Sitri magic circle appeared inside the circle of pawn pieces, telling Sona that she only had to use the chant to complete the process.

Sona took a step back, holding both arms out to the side and started the chant to bring Issei into the world as a devil. She held her eyes closed as she focused on the magical process of binding the piece of herself in the pawns, to Issei's soul, marking him as her servant.

The rest in the room all waited with anticipation, seeing the final steps starting to take place.

"In the name of Sona Sitri, I call to you Issei Hyoudou, to reborn as my servant. You my pawn, flow with the tide of the underworld, and live under my command."

As Sona's command started, the evil pieces attached to Issei started to rotate around the magic circle counter-clockwise. And as she finished the chant, the pawns sank into Issei's chest, making his skin glow the same azure blue from underneath his clothes.

Sona opened her eyes and looked at Issei, seeing how the reincarnation went. When a human was reincarnated into a devil, there would be a surge of their demonic presence after the process took hold. She watched him as he looked at the way his skin was glowing.

When the pieces started rotating on his chest, the feeling of being immersed in water came over Issei. But that quickly changed as the pieces started to be absorbed into his body. The calm sensation of floating in water changed into being swept away by the undertow of the ocean. Issei's eyes shot all the open as he stumbled, nearly losing his balance, and falling face first onto the floor.

As the glow started fading, so did the feeling of being thrashed around by the strongest water current he'd ever experienced. Issei let out a sigh of relief as he started to feel normal again. He looked at his hands in front of his face, clenched and unclenched his fists, seeing if anything felt different.

He could feel the difference in the strength of his hands. Issei closed his eyes as his arms dropped back down. He remembered Momo saying that devils had really sensitive hearing, and judging by the sound of birds chirping and footsteps walking in the hall, that was true.

Issei took in a deep breath through his nose, and could smell and identify each of the perfumes the girls were using. The pleasant smells sent his mind back to his old ways, imagining them in bikinis, nurse outfits, naked aprons, and then finally just naked.

Issei scrunched his face and bit the inside of his cheek to bring his hormones under control, this wasn't the time for fantasies. Issei opened his eyes and looked at the group he'd just become a part of. And was met with a scene he hadn't been expecting.

All of the girls were staring at issei, like he had grown horns or something, their eyes were locked onto him. Momo, Reya, and surprisingly Sona were blushing. Sona seemed to be the only one trying to fight it, biting her lip hard enough for it to start bleeding.

Reya normally clear light brown eyes, now looked hazy as she stared at Issei like he were ripe for the taking.

Momo was squirming a little,her eyes shut, her legs tightly clamped against themselves, and the slightest sound of moans coming from the bubbly bishop.

Issei sent the girls a worried look, not understanding that it was the surge of energy that flooded the room that caused this reaction. Issei looked back towards Katase and Murayama. They weren't looking at him the same way the Student Council was. They had confused expressions, even they had been able to feel the change coming from Issei, but didn't know exactly what this sensation was.

"So this is the presence of a dragon...amazing!" Issei heard the voice of Tomoe for the first time.

Issei turned towards Sona's servants. Just as he made eye contact with Sona's knight, a different feeling than the one when the pawns entered him. A searing, burning pain that radiated throughout his entire body.

"UGH!" Issei grunted out, as he fell to his knees.

"Ise!" Murayama and Katase yelled out, trying to catch him before he fell down, but quickly retracted their hands as they touched his arms.

When their skin touched Ise's, it felt like his skin was on fire. Not just feverish, no, it was like they had touched the side of a pot of boiling water.

Sona snapped back into her analytical persona, looking at her new pawn on his hands and knees. Sona stepped towards Issei and knelt down beside him. Momo ran up to the group on the ground, kneeling down in front of Ise, and placing her hand on the side of his face. Her eyes widened in fear of the heat coming from him, she turned towards Sona, the volume of her voice almost screaming.

"Kaichou! He's burning up! He'll die if we don't cool him down!"

Sona knew how hot the inside of his body was right now, she could feel it too, only on a lower scale. The evil pieces didn't just give the servant a piece of their king, it also established a link between Master and servant. This connection was normally small, just enough to tell the emotions of the reincarnated devil, the king could almost read the minds of their servants if they practiced enough.

Sona was good at reading her peerage, and was able to tune out the connection normally. But she miscalculated what would happen if one person held 8 pieces in their body. The link had been there ever since the pieces formed the magic circle on Issei's chest, she felt the floating feeling. She felt it turn into a torrent of water trying to pull her under. And now, she felt like her blood vessels were filled with fire instead of blood. It was borderline excruciating. She couldn't imagine how it felt for Issei.

"I need him laying on his back." Sona said calmly, fighting off the burning sensation to try to help issei.

Both her and Momo covered their hands in a layer of water magic, so they could withstand the heat, and grabbed Issei by the shoulders. The water started to steam and evaporate just as soon as it came in contact with Issei, but they were able to flip him onto his back before the heat was unbearable.

Once Issei was on his back, his eyes were fluttering in pain, but still remained closed. He took a ragged breath before making a strained attempt to ease the worry he could feel coming from his newfound connection to Sona.

"I'll be..alright...Kaich-" Issei couldn't finish his statement, as he passed out from the pain he'd been feeling.

"What's wrong with Ise?! Why is he so hot?!" Katase asked Sona after she saw issei lose consciousness. Her and Murayama kneeling at Issei's feet.

Sona sat on her knees at her pawns head, looking at him, wondering just how to cool him down so that he would be out of harms way. The only way she could come up with at a moments notice was to cover him in magically enhanced water, but she'd need someone else who was adept with elemental magic.

Sona raised her hand to her right ear as she thought of who to call for help, and made a comm circle, and called the one who had a lot to lose if they couldn't save Issei.

The circle spun as the connection was being made, when it stopped, she heard idle chatter in the background. " _Hello?"_ Came the voice of Rias Gremory from the other side.

Sona wasted no time in asking for the assistance of her Rival. The urgency of her request was clear as day by the tone of her voice.

"Rias! I need you and Akeno in my office immediately! We need to cool Issei off before his body fails!" Sona commanded, yet the concern was clear.

Sona heard all the talking on the other end stop, her voice was loud enough to be heard by everyone in her clubroom. Some shuffling was heard through the circle before Rias replied and then ended the call.

"We're on our way. Hold out until we get there." Was she said as she ended the comm circle.

Sona summoned the purest and coldest water she could muster, which wasn't even a quarter of the amount she needed. She covered Issei's neck and the inside of his thighs with the water, having it act like a ice pack, cooling the larger arteries in the body.

Sona watched as the water started to lose the magical stability it had, and started steaming off once more. She couldn't afford to summon more until Rias arrived with Akeno, pacing herself was important here. If she exhausted herself, than that could end badly for Issei, either comatose for life from an overheated brain….Or dead.

Tsubaki had run next door to the infirmary, grabbing ice packs to hold on Issei, until Rias and Akeno made it to them. Thankfully that didn't take very long, even with the distance from the old school building to their location.

Rias and Akeno burst into the door, panting slightly, and made their way to Sona kneeling on the ground still. Sona made eye contact with Rias, seeing the sweat start to form on her brow, a combination of the heat and physical exertion.

"What do you need us to do Sona?" Rias asked, not wasting any time on learning what caused this to happen, she could hear about that after Issei was stable.

Sona straightened up from her more relaxed stance she had while she was waiting for help to arrive. She summoned the enhanced water once more, placing on the same spots she had before. Before addressing Rias.

"Summon water at the highest purity, and coldest temperature you're able. Rias, place yours at the under arm, and forehead. Akeno, make yours blanket his torso." Sona gave out her instructions, hoping the ice packs had done enough to give them the time they needed. Rias and Akeno didn't bother responding, instead doing as Sona had requested.

They placed the water onto the designated spots on Issei's body, and it seemed to be holding, at least for now. Sona Rias and Akeno were now standing, and were talking about what put the boy in this position.

"The pieces took hold, and he seemed alright at first. Rias, you're familiar with the surge of energy from a newly reincarnated servant correct?" Sona asked Rias, who nodded in response, so Sona continued.

"His surge...only a minimal amount of it was of devil origin. The rest, was the energy signature of a dragon."

Rias sat herself on top of Sona's desk, crossing her legs and arms as she went over the information, but she'd never seen a reaction like this before. But after recalling Sona's words, she asked her question.

"Sona, you said pieces...as in multiple were used to reincarnate Issei. How many did you have to use?" Rias asked Sona.

Sona sighed, she knew what reaction was about to come her way, but she'd find out eventually anyway.

"Yes. Issei required all 8 pawn pieces to be reincarnated."

Both Rias and Akeno faultered, and shot Sona a look of disbelief. They'd only heard of people of Satan class strength needing that many pieces to be made into a devil. And this was only a teenage boy who hadn't even awoken his sacred gear.

"All 8 pawns?!" Rias exclaimed. The sound of her yelling caused Issei to stir slightly, before returning to his motionless posture.

Momo Reya Katase and Murayama, were all seated around Issei, waiting to see when he'd wake up. Momo brushed the hair out of his face, the worry still plastered on her face. The unconscious Issei leaned his head into the touch, causing all four girls to sigh with a smile, he seemed to at least be doing a little better.

Momo had been racking her brain for the cause of Issei's pain, and had found something interesting that might explain it. So she looked up to her master, calling out to her.

"Kaichou. I think I might know why Ise's like this."

The entire room paused in their actions, looking towards Momo, Sona included.

"Please tell Momo." Sona said to her bishop. One of Momo's skills was sensing a beings energy. It wasn't quite on the level of a capable senjutsu user, but it was better than most others. It was also what made her intuition a force to be reckoned with. But Momo along with the other three girls were distracted by the green light that started pulsing Issei's left hand.

"Kaichou, Ise's hand, it's glowing again." Reya said, not paying attention if she had interrupted any current conversations. The object of her attention was laying there, unconscious, and there was little that would tear eyes and ears away.

Sona and Rias walked up to where Issei was laying, looking at his left hand, and that same green glow was there.

Rias looked on in great interest, having not experienced what the student council had the previous day, when Elsha had taken control of Issei. She looked at the symbol on Issei's hand, and was baffled when she didn't recognize it, especially since she fancied herself reasonably acquainted with most written languages that were still around.

Sona looked at the glow, and a glimmer of hope spread itself through her, hoping if this were Elsha...That she could explain what was going on in Issei's body.

Murayama and Katase looked at the glow in awe, not drawing the connection to the green and blue glow they had seen coming from Issei's bedroom window yesterday.

Sona's hopes were answered as the glow brightened, but the voice that came from the hand of Issei confused and slightly angered Rias.

"Hello again Sona Sitri and her peerage. OH! Murayama and Katase, you're here too?" Elsha spoke from Issei's hand.

When Elsha spoke, Sona's attention was solely on the spirit. The only voice she would concern herself with at this moment was hers. Murayama and Katase on the other hand, had turned from expressions of awe, to confusion. What was this voice, and why did it know who they were?

Sona answered the voice for the group. "Hello. Issei wanted them to be here with him. Do you mind if I ask what's happening to him?"

Elsha hummed, the words of how to properly explain Ise's predicament, and how it was being handled.

"Hmmmm...Well in short the 8 pawns used on Ise, while required to reincarnate him, were too much for his current body to control. It made his body start to tear itself apart, However, I'm handling it. Ise will be just fine by tomorrow morning, he will need some time to adjust though."

Sona crossed her arms gently, listening to the NorseFire Dragon. The condition of her pawn was Sona's top priority at the moment, and she wanted to know just what was being done to him to rectify the problem.

"Forgive me if I come across rude, but can you tell us what you're doing to fix the problem? And is there something we can do to hasten the process?"

Elsha giggled lightly at Sona. Had Elsha not been able to access the connection between her and Issei, she may have been insulted by the tone she used, but Elsha could feel that she was only worried for her new servant. And that was a trait she respected about the Sitri family, even if their connection to their servants wasn't as famous as the Gremory's.

"Ufufu, No need to Apologize Lady Sitri, I can feel the connection with you just as Ise can. The excess power had already started to damage some vital organs, so I'm….altering them. His lungs, heart and blood vessels to be specific. The only thing for any of you to do now, is wait for him to wake up, which should be tomorrow morning."

Sona heard the kendo girls gasp when they heard Ise's heart and lungs had been damaged so quickly. Had this mysterious voice not taken action, he'd likely be dead very soon. Sona had an idea of how Elsha was altering Issei's physiology, but asked just to be certain. As it may just change how she trained Issei over the next year.

"And by alter the damaged organs, you mean replace them with the dragons equivalent, correct?"

"That is correct Lady Sitri. The problem was that when the power increase took hold during the reincarnation, Ise took a deep breath and activated a fire breathing ability of his sacred gear. His human lungs weren't capable of withstanding the heat so soon. The heat then spread through his veins and arteries, damaging them along with his heart. The dragon organs will be better equipped to handle the strain of his abilities." Elsha said, trying her best to explain the exact cause of Issei's need for new body parts.

Rias didn't know who this Elsha person was, nor did she care at the moment. What she did care about was the fact that Sona lied to her, which was more unacceptable when she recalled the fact that she promised to marry this boy if he helped defeat Raiser. Rias had accepted being married to _THE_ Red Dragon Emperor, but not this unknown apparently female dragon. Her outburst over her assumptions taking hold of the conversation.

"But you should know, there are some side effects." Elsha said, simultaneously as Rias spoke louder.

"Sona….What the fuck are you trying to pull here?" She asked with a dangerously low and gravely tone.

Sona caught on that Rias was mad about something, but didn't realise that she was the ONLY one who knew about Elsha Laevateinn, due to her family's interaction with the legendary Boosted Gear user. Rias stepped closer, her eyes changing from the usual serene blue-ish green, to crimson orbs of fury.

"What are you talking about Rias?" Sona asked.

Rias started to shake, rage threatening to boil over.

"I'm talking about our deal! You promised me the red dragon emperor! That was who I agreed to marry if he beat Raiser!" Rias yelled out, her Crimson aura flaring around her.

Murayama and Katase both heard the conversation happening between the two high-class devils, but their reactions were vastly different. Murayama was alarmed at the mention of Rias being married off to Issei. And Katase at the mention of a potential problem when Issei wakes up.

"WHAT?!" Murayama yelled out, referring to the marriage comment, that wasn't something Ise told them about.

Katase was getting just as angry as Rias, but for people speaking over the voice coming from Ise. She needed to hear what would happen when he wakes up, hoping it wasn't too bad.

"EVERYONE SHUT THE HELL UP AND LISTEN TO HER!" Katase yelled at nearly the top of her lungs, getting everyone in the room to quiet down instantly.

Rias' eyes were still crimson with fury, but agreed that listening to the absent female voice was a more pressing matter.

Sona quickly shut out the thought of why Rias was angry with her, giving her attention once again to Elsha.

Seeing the room quiet down, Elsha repeated herself.

"Right, as I was saying...Ise will experience some side effects for about the first few days after waking up."

"What kind of side effects should we expect?" Sona was quick to ask.

Elsha gave a response that only really upset Katase and Murayama, while Reya and Momo were a little excited to see this.

"Since Ise is having a good amount of his more vital parts changed into that of a dragons, he will act more like a dragon does. His actions will driven by more...Primal urges."

Katase sighed, that was not what she was expecting. But...A pervy Ise, was better than a dead Ise. She never thought she'd say that...ever.

"Just great...Ise the pervert is coming back." Katase said, defeated. All that hard work seemingly for nothing, not that it was really his fault.

Reya chuckled, before looking towards her bishop counterpart.

"That sounds like it could be fun, doesn't it Momo?"

 **END**

 **I decided to end here, since I won't be able to update for a week or so. Figured a short chapter is better than none at all.**

 **Now onto the events.**

 **Sona's reincarnation chant, i just couldnt come up with anything else on the spot.**

 **The main I wanted to touch on, is Issei being in pain from the reincarnation.**

 **In canon, Rias had to seal off most of the power the 8 pawns gave him. Seeing as he was dying, Rias would have been watching him closely and notice an adverse reaction from the given power. The fact that he was asleep also helped Rias, since your bodies functions are slowed down while you're asleep.**

 **So with Issei being awake when he was turned into a devil, the effects hit him quicker and harder.**

 **I will touch more on why the girls were reacting to the power coming from Issei more in the next chapter. But it goes back to canon stuff, Issei has very little demonic power, so the majority of his strength lies in the boosted gear, hence the dragon power flooding the room.**

 **I forgot what else I wanted to put here.**

 **So, thoughts?**

 **OH! One last thing, i'll be going through and updating grammar and spelling stuff soon, to fix that. That's what I wanted to say….I think.**


	8. No Secrets

**Welcome welcome! Before we start, this will be the last of the "slow chapters" we'll be getting into training time after this. Probably half of the next chapter will be Issei waking up and going over things with Sona and the rest. Some may be wondering just what is intended for Rias. She may seem very back and forth with her emotional stability….this is intentional. Just leave that Rias part in the back of your heads for now. The other girls and events are more important right now. The training will probably go like this….1 month and major event per chapter until we catch up to canon.**

 **"...talking…"**

 **'...Thinking…'**

 **"** _ **..Host talking to Sacred gear only.."**_

 **[ Sacred gear spirit talking ]**

 _ **[Sacred gear spirit talking to host only ]**_

 **I OWN NOTHING**

" _Just great...Ise the pervert is coming back." Katase said, defeated. All that hard work seemingly for nothing, not that it was really his fault._

 _Reya chuckled, before looking towards her bishop counterpart._

" _That sounds like it could be fun, doesn't it Momo?"_

 **Chapter 7**

Issei had been taken home to rest until his body's functions were back to normal...Or what would be his normal state from now on. Sona requested that Momo and Reya use a magic circle to bring Issei home and place him in bed, meanwhile she would walk to his house with Rias and the Kendo girls. Sona Katase and Murayama wanted to be there to ensure that Issei was properly taken care of. Rias hadn't gotten any answers as to why Sona had lied about Issei being the host of the welsh dragon, and once Issei's care was handled, she would continue that conversation.

The group of four girls walked along in silence. Murayama and Katase walking side by side in front of Sona and Rias. The human girls were wondering just how Ise's mom would handle 4 new girls suddenly appearing to be with her son. She'd warmed up to the two of them over the months they hung out with Ise, and had been dropping not so subtle hints that she approved of either of them pursuing a relationship with her son. Up until only recently, they both would have adamantly refused that they saw him in that way.

Sona was thinking of what Elsha had said about the change in Issei's body. An ability of the boosted gear that enabled the user to breathe fire, had started to burn Issei from the inside, but would have a better chance at controlling it after his recovery. Elsha must have already completed a portion of changing the organs, because Sona still felt heat coming the link to Issei. But this wasn't a heat that harmed either of them, it was more of a comforting feeling, like sitting in front of a campfire.

That brought thoughts of the coming months how to proceed with Issei's training. Sona and her family were expert users of water and ice magic, so while she could spar with him to increase the strength of the legendary dragons fire, she couldn't help him control it. She'd need to look for someone who was familiar with those types of flames. Two beings came to mind, one who held the hottest fire attack known amongst current dragons, and the other was rumored to be able to freeze even the famed phenex flames.

The silent walk came to an abrupt end as they approached the Hyoudou residence. Murayama and Katase stopped just outside of the fence leading to the front door, and turned to the two older girls behind them.

"Vice-President, how are you going to explain Ise getting home without his parents hearing? And all of the extra girls?" Murayama asked.

Rias rose an eyebrow when the brunette said "extra", and looked to Sona. Sona met Rias' gaze, and gave a sigh. She didn't like having someone else handle what should be her task, but Rias was better suited for this.

"I believe it would be best for Rias to handle that, her family has always been the more charismatic type." She said, bringing a smile to Rias' face at the compliment, while the kendo girls held a narrowed gaze.

"Yea, we know.." Katase murmured, thinking back to how they came to learn about the existence of devils. Rias ignored the comment, and stepped passed them, up to the door.

The smile didn't leave the crimson heiress' face as she rang the doorbell. A distant voice was heard saying "One minute" as footsteps could be heard by the devils with their superior hearing. Only a few more seconds passed before the door unlocked, and opened revealing Mrs. Hyoudou. She smiled as Yui and Kaori were the first ones she saw, then she grew curious as to who the other two girls were.

"Yui and Kaori, so good to see you again so soon. And you two must be the ones Momo and Reya said would be coming over to check on Ise." She said, greatly surprising Murayama and Katase. Rias and Sona recognized the signs of Mental manipulation from the eyes of Mrs. Hyoudou.

"Yes . My name is Rias Gremory, 2nd year at Kuoh Academy. This is Sona Shitori, also a 2nd year student, we're both friends of your son." Rias said in a sweet voice, not seeing any reason to use any magic to further alter the thoughts of her potential Mother-In-Law.

Issei's mother smiled, then moved in line to the open door, gesturing for the group of girls to come inside.

"It's so nice to see Ise gaining friends that really care for him. Please, come in. Ise's upstairs asleep with the other two. Try not to wake him alright?"

"Yes, of course." Rias said, still holding her smile. She stepped inside, Sona quickly followed, both taking their shoes off in the entryway. Murayama and Katase rushed in the door, flicking their shoes off and sped up the stairs to Issei's room. Mrs. Hyoudou raised a red flag in the minds of the kendo girls with the way she worded things. They both thought that Momo and Reya were doing something more than just seeing to Issei's well being.

Rias just blinked in confusion at the speedy get away of Issei's friends.

 **-LineBreak-**

 **Inside the boosted gear**

"Ise...Wake up Ise."

A somewhat familiar and feminine voice rang out from above Issei as he slept.

Issei only turned onto his right side, trying to ignore the voice wanting to disturb his peaceful rest. He rarely slept this well, his body was at just the right warmth, the only thing that seemed off was how high his pillow was lifting his head.

His eyes still closed, Issei tried to reach under his pillow to adjust it. His hand coming in contact with two sensations that started to pull him awake. The back of Issei's hand felt like it was touching grass, while his palm was touching something...soft, yet firm, like flesh covered by thin clothing.

"Ufufu, I didn't know you warmed up to me _that_ quickly. Hmmmm….What is it that clock of yours says each morning? Oh yes. Ise, wake up, or I'll kiss you." The womans voice said, as Issei felt a hand brush his hair away from his face.

Issei's eyes shot halfway open, and saw only white, with a shadow being cast down from above. He blinked a few times, trying to clear the sleep away to make sure his eyes were working right. The white material hadn't changed, but the shadow had moved slightly.

Issei turned his head left, to see what was making the shadow, and was met with the emerald and sky blue eyes of Elsha who was smiling down at him. Instead of removing himself from his position, Issei turned his back to his resting spot,closing his eyes again. The hand that had tried to move what he thought was his pillow, pulled him closer, into the abdomen of Elsha with a small smile on his face as the scents of his surroundings came to him.

The scent of a plethora of different flowers came into Issei's nostrils, he mumbled to the past wielder with a tired voice.

"You smell nice Elsha, like flowers."

Elsha ran her hand through Ise's hair again, still smiling down at the boy. She wouldn't mind staying like this if the circumstances were different, but she needed Issei to be awake. Elsha removed her hand from Ise's hair, and pinched his cheek lightly. Not enough to hurt, but enough for the sensation to register and wake him up a bit more.

"Thank you for the compliment Ise, but I need you to wake up, we need to talk about the changes happening with your body."

Issei's eyes opened again, this time all the way. The memory of what happened starting to come back. Sona reincarnating him into a devil, and then the burning pain that he felt just a moment after, then passing out.

Issei pulled his head back, his right hand propping him up. Issei looked over to where his other hand was. The grass he thought he felt was there, but when he pulled himself closer to Elsha, he'd been grabbing rather firmly onto her rear. Issei quickly removed his left hand as he blushed and tried to apologize.

"Ah! Sorry about grabbing you like that."

Elsha chuckled, she wasn't mad, since she knew he didn't realise where he'd been touching her.

"Ufufu, that's alright Ise, no harm done."

Issei sat up, now feeling ready to hold a conversation. He looked around briefly, seeing that he was back in Elsha's garden, so that meant he was back in his sacred gear. How this was possible would no doubt confuse Issei for a long time, But if magic was real, then there probably was an explanation for this too. Done looking at his surroundings, Issei made eye contact with Elsha.

"You wanted to talk about something? Is it about me turning into a devil?" He asked the foreign blonde.

Elsha shook her head at Issei. Her right hand moving towards Issei's chest with her index finger extended, poking it directly where his heart is.

"That's part of it. Your heart, lungs as well, that's what I need to talk to you about." She said, removing her hand, bringing both of her hands to her lap.

Issei tilted his head a little to the side.

"Is there something wrong with them? Do you know what that pain I felt was from?" Issei asked her, coming to realisation that she knew why that burning feeling had come over him. Issei's full attention now on Elsha.

"There was something wrong, but it's fixed now. I'm sorry I didn't have the time to ask for your permission before I started the process." Elsha said, her eyes lowering down to the ground, hoping that Ise would take the news well.

Elsha took the silence as a sign that Ise wanted her to explain what happened, so she did.

"When Sona Sitri placed the pieces inside you, there was a burst of power that flooded your system. That unlocked your sacred gear, along with a few of its abilities, one of which you unintentionally activated. When you took a deep breath in, you started a fire breathing attack. Your body didn't have time to adjust, and the heat from it damaged you heart and lungs. So I had to replace them with dragon parts."

Issei had been listening intently, and his mouth dropped open when she said that he now had the heart and lungs of a dragon….and would be able to breathe fire. That sounded awesome! But Elsha didn't sound excited about it, so was there some sort of drawback to it? He wasn't really familiar with the weaknesses of dragons, so only the pros of dragon organs came to mind, and if he was honest...Unless there was a big con to being turned into more of a dragon, he wouldn't mind having a few more.

"Would I have lived if you didn't change the parts that were damaged?"

Elsha took a moment to think. There was the possibility that Sona could have come up with sort of plan to heal him, but she wasn't willing to wait to see if it would come quick enough.

"The damage would have killed you within an hour. Your heart couldn't move the blood well enough, and your lungs couldn't take in enough oxygen from the air."

Issei gave Elsha a bright smile, trying to show that he wasn't mad, and understood that she was only looking for his well-being.

"Thank you, for saving me. I really appreciate it Elsha."

The downcast look left Elsha's eyes, coming back to happy glint that was there before.

"You're welcome Ise. Now, let's go over the Pros and Cons of your new dragon parts."

 **-LineBreak-**

 **Back In Issei's room**

Murayama had been the first one to burst through the door, not using the common courtesy of knocking, thinking that she would catch Ise red handed in bed with them. She hadn't been completely wrong, but what she saw wasn't inappropriate in any way.

Ise was there on his bed, still asleep, with both Momo and Reya sitting crossed legged to each of his sides on the bed. Momo just sat there, hands in her lap, clenching her interlaced fingers every so often. Murayama was surprised that Reya would be the more forward of the two girls. Reya was holding Ise's left hand with both of hers, her thumb tracing circles on the back of his, her eyes not leaving Ise's face to even register that there was a new entry in his bedroom.

Katase quickly followed into the room, seeing the same thing as her friend, and was relieved that nothing had happened while she wasn't there. Instead of following the lead of the two devil girls, Katase took her seat on the chair at Ise's desk, spinning herself around slowly. Murayama took a seat at the edge of the bed, by Ise's feet, which were underneath the blanket.

Katase stopped spinning in the chair, hearing Rias and Sona making small talk with Ise's mom, then looking towards Ise and asking what was on her mind.

"Do you know what, or who that voice was that came from the glow on Ise's hand back at school? Can we trust that they're actually taking care of Ise?" She asked, looking more towards Momo, since she had been around the white haired girl more than Reya.

Reya looked up from Ise, hearing the question, and looked towards Momo to see if she would be the one to answer. Momo wasn't paying attention to anything but Ise, she was unreachable at the moment. Reya sighed and turned her gaze towards the girl in the spinning chair, making sure that her voice carried its typical gentle air, not wanting her worries to bleed through too much.

"The voice was a past wielder of Ise's sacred gear. Her name is Elsha Laevateinn, she was known as the NorseFire Dragon. Elsha had a reputation of being nothing but an honest and reliable person while she was alive, so I believe that we can put our faith in her and know that she is doing what she needs to, to help Ise through this."

Katase nodded towards Reya as thanks for placating her worries. She resumed spinning in the chair until footsteps rang throughout the hallway, then Sona entered the room with Rias directly behind her. The human girls watched in curiosity as Rias closed the bedroom door, and Sona approached Ise's sleeping form.

Sona stood just to the right of Momo, and placed a hand on Ise's chest, where the evil pieces had centered themselves. Her blue magic circle appeared in between her hand and his shirt, spinning around clockwise, before quickly changing direction. It did this for 30 seconds before the light died, and Sona Adjusted her glasses before speaking, her eyes lingering on Murayama and Katase more than anyone else.

"Ise is doing just fine, all damage has been healed, so he's just resting now." Sona said in her analytical voice.

Murayama let out a sigh. Then her gaze settled on Rias, thinking back to her outburst in the Student Council office.

"That's good…..Since Ise is okay, mind telling us just what you meant, when you mentioned marrying Ise?" She said as her eyes narrowed, Katase following her expression and nodding in agreement.

Rias met the look of the humans in the room in kind. Crossing her arms.

"That's between Sona, Ise, and myself." Her short response only angered Murayama and Katase, but surprisingly, Murayama was the one to voice their Issue.

"There's nothing that he doesn't tell us. So if he didn't mention something like him being set to marry someone, than I doubt that Ise knows about it himself. So...we'll ask again, what was that about?"

Instead of answering the question, Rias only tried to prove them wrong, thinking there was no way that they knew _everything_ about the boy in question. So she used a subject that most men would hold to themselves, even in their dying breaths.

"Really now? You know everything about him? Even what place and material he uses to masturbate?"

While Sona turned her head away from the group in slight embarrassment, Momo and Reya listened in interest, while Katase and Murayama held smug grins. Katase crossed her arms, one leg crossed over the other and bouncing.

"Of course we know everything. He likes this chair" Katase said pointing to the chair she was currently sitting in. " And Ise has a breast fetish, size isn't particularly important, but larger ones catch his attention easier. So he likes to recall the girl with the best breasts he'd seen recently."

Katase looked at Rias as the crimson haired girl's expression turned from an uppity snob, into one of disbelief. 'And that damn fetish could've gotten the three of us in trouble with your mother.' She thought to herself afterwards. A subtle shiver coming to her as she recalled the sultry look that Venerana Gremory had given Ise, if he'd been allowed to talk to her any longer….Who knows what would've happened.

"So you can either tell us what this whole marriage talk is about now, otherwise when Ise finds out, so will we." Murayama picked up the conversation, tag teaming their senior schoolmate.

Sona decided for her and Rias, and told them just what the plan was in regard to having Ise Marry Rias. She was also thinking whether or not to tell them about the potential for Ise to marry her as well.

"Rias and I have both been an object of interest in the devil world ever since we were born, and when I say object….I mean just that. The elder devils believe that it's better to keep the pure-blooded devils pure, instead of letting love or free will reign. So arranged marriages are put in place, in both of our cases it was as soon as they knew we were female. I managed to strike an agreement with my family that my betrothed needed to beat me in a game of chess to be deemed worthy, Rias wasn't as lucky. The ones that have held an interest in either of us, only saw us as a way to further their own political power….as objects. So when we were young, we agreed that if either of us found a way to keep the other from falling into this hell, we would."

The kendo girls had eased their glares a little, listening to Sona describe the view devils had on marriage. Katase and Murayama knew, that they'd do anything to save the other from the same situation if they were placed in it. But that didn't explain why they chose to use Ise.

"And just what does that have to do with Ise?" Katase asked.

Sona sighed. "I was getting to that. I haven't had the chance to talk to Issei about this arrangement yet. But you see, this marriage would be on paper only, a way to prevent other devils from claiming either of us for themselves. Issei is the best candidate we've come across so far, for two main reasons. The first is the fact that Issei is the host of the Red Dragon Emperor, whose power is both respected and feared by all races. The other reason is who Issei is as a person. His rumored perversion aside, Issei is a kind and caring person, something most male pure-blooded devils are severely lacking in. While the higher devil society will not like a devil being married to a non pure-blood, they would never think of angering someone carrying a dragon that has the power the level most of the underworld." She said, revealing her plan to have Issei marry her as well, which wasn't missed by the kendo girls.

Instead of yelling out at hearing Ise being married to _both_ girls, they took the information in, and questioned how this was possible. In human society, marrying multiple women was usually frowned upon, and how was Sona sure that Ise would even agree?

"And how do you know Ise will even agree to this?" Murayama quickly asked. Knowing full well that Ise still had dreams of a harem, one that consisted of women that he loved and loved him in return.

Rias meanwhile was looking at Sona accusingly, why was she still claiming that the boy on the bed was the host of the Welsh Dragon? That voice was that of a woman, and Ddraig was a male dragon, her patience was starting to wear thin. When she first met Issei, she too thought she saw the red heavenly dragon when Issei helped her off the ground, but Sona should have known otherwise once she reincarnated him. She wanted answers, but knew that getting angry with Sona would lead her nowhere, and Sona was not the type of person to lie. So just who did that voice belong to?

While Rias was thinking, Sona was still giving Katase and Murayama her reasoning.

"I do not intend to force Issei to do anything, I merely planned on telling Issei the benefits of the situation, that with being married into either of our families he would never want for anything material again. He would still be free to pursue whoever he wanted, and marry them as well if he wishes."

"So is Polygamy a common thing for Devils?" Katase asked, mainly thinking of the social reaction that humans would have, since she didn't know how devils viewed it.

Sona nodded to the pink haired girl.

"Yes, more commonly for men than women. Usually the head of a family, or a prominent devil will take multiple wives to ensure that a child is born, as supernatural beings have an extremely hard time conceiving due in part to our long life spans. In cases of a devil with a special bloodline or power, it's almost expected and encouraged. And with what Elsha Laevateinn said earlier about Issei becoming part dragon, I'm certain more families will try to marry off their children to him."

Rias' eyes widened at hearing the name of the legendary NorseFire Dragon, and one of the people she looked up to because of her strength and conviction. Rias would often ask to hear the stories of her accomplishments on repeat as a little girl. Now she felt stupid for having ever doubted Sona, who was a long term friend that never had a reason to lie to her in the first place.

Katase and Murayama on the other hand were confused, sharing a look that said they were both feeling that way.

"Are dragons rare or something?" Murayama asked innocently with her head tilted.

"Yes, incredibly so. There's only one that has been involved with devils willingly, and it was to gain land to grow food for other dragons. They typically hide themselves away, as they're numbers were dwindled down to almost nothing over the years, they were hunted by those who feared their strength."

 **-LineBreak-**

Inside the boosted gear, Elsha had been explaining what would happen to Ise's body. She told him that since his heart had become a dragons, he would slowly becoming more dragon than devil. The cells in his body would take in the dragon signature as the blood was pumped throughout his body. So eventually he would gain the magical resistance that dragonhide provided, and in about 8-9 months, be able to produce dragon wings. Most of the things she told him sounded positive to Ise, except that he would draw powerful enemies towards him, be weak to dragon slayer items, and for a short time would have a hard time controlling his emotions and act on instinct. The biggest bonus however, was drawing the attention of the opposite sex the more contact he had with them.

And now they were standing in a clearing, waiting for the being responsible for all of these changes. Issei could see the red dot in the sky coming closer with each flap of its wings. He was a little nervous, he was about to be face to face with a dragon. He looked over to Elsha, and saw her face was set in an expression like she was recalling fond memories.

A few more flaps of its wings, brought the full size of the Red Dragon into view, and quickly descending to the ground. The welsh dragon flapped his wings downwards to slow his descent, as his four legs made contact with the ground, the ground shook from the weight suddenly added.

Issei stumbled for a brief moment before regaining his balance, then looked up to the dragons head in awe. He couldn't believe how big the figure just in front of him was. Ddraig had to be 100 long from head to the tip of his tail, his armor like scales were a crimson red, and had glowing emerald eyes.

Ddraigs eyes looked over to Elsha, then to Issei, he lowered his head to speak to his new host for the first time.

 **[Issei Hyoudou, you are aware of who I am, correct?]** His voice was deep, and loud enough that it echoed off the hills and back to Issei.

Issei nodded, still nervous of the powerful creature right in front of him, the one Sona told him had been part of the reason the three factions have the current ceasefire.

"Y-yes, you're Ddraig, the Red Dragon Emperor."

Elsha chuckled from beside Ise, amused at how nervous he was.

"No need to be nervous Ise, Ddraig won't hurt you."

Issei looked over to her, smiling as she looked between him and Ddraig. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, calming himself down. Ddraig bore his eyes into Issei, his new host.

 **[This is the first time i've had a host become a devil. It will be interesting to see how that affects your development.]**

Thinking the words of the dragon were meant in a negative context, Issei asked his opinion on the matter.

"How do you feel about being attached to a devil?" Ddraig raised his head a bit, staring at Issei still. Then looking over to Elsha as if trying to confirm something on his mind. Elsha merely nodded to the Dragon. Ddraig moved his gaze back to Issei, the fierce emerald glow dying or Ddraigs eyes down a bit.

 **[What you are matters not, be it devil, human, or in your case a dragon/devil hybrid. What I care about, is what you will use my power for. What is it you desire My Host?]**

"To protect my friends and family. Whatever I need to do to make sure they're safe, I'll do it."

Ddraig raised himself back up to full height, his head held high, satisfied with the drive in Issei's eyes. Ddraig extended his wings.

 **[Very well, partner. My power is yours. Now….Let's get you used to your new abilities, tonight will be your initiation into how a dragon trains.]** Ddraig said, his tone changing into one that promised progress...and a lot of pain.

 **-LineBreak-**

 **Hyoudou Residence**

A few hours after Issei was brought home, Sona had suggested that most of the group go their separate ways, but also have someone stay the night to watch over Issei. Murayama wanted to stay, but this was the one night per month that her parents would be home. Ever since Katase had moved in with Murayama, she would always find somewhere else to be when the parents were back for their one day a month get together, so she didn't feel she was intruding on their time together.

Katase volunteered herself, saying that she would be staying no matter who else would be. Rias had also volunteered, but a phone call from her queen about a client shot that idea down. Momo and Reya were having a quiet conversation between themselves on which of them should stay, thinking that both would be a bit cramped. In the end, Sona gave her opinion, which was for Momo to stay with her slightly better healing prowess over Reya. And as much as Reya wanted to stay with Ise, she agreed with Sona's point.

After the rest of the group left, Katase had brought Momo down to talk to Ise's parents and make sure that it was alright with them to stay the night. Ise's father was surprised by the quick "of course" given by his wife, he knew the pink haired Katase so no problem there, but this white haired girl was a new face to him. But his wife seemed to know this girl, so he didn't argue, happy wife happy life right?

Katase had brought out two sleeping bags from Ise's closet, they were kept there in the event her and Murayama stayed over and placed them in the guest room.

Momo went back to Ise room for a brief moment, to place a new type of magic she'd learned on Ise, one that would alert Momo if his vitals dropped or raised beyond a certain level. And once that was done, she went to the guest room where Katase and herself would be sleeping.

Just before the girls fell asleep, Katase asked Momo a question regarding Sona, referring to her in the same way as Ise did.

"Momo, I thought since Sona-Kaichou is now Ise's King, that she'd want to be the one here with him until he wakes up. Why didn't she stay?"

Momo turned towards Katase, her blue eyes closing as she felt her connection to Sona. Momo could slightly feel Sona, from what she understood, it wasn't all that difficult for the King to feel the pieces of their servants. But doing the reverse took a lot of concentration. She felt the exhaustion of her master, the hope that things would only get better from here, and the worry in case they got worse.

"If things were different, she would have, but she wouldn't have been of much use to Ise in her state. She's physically and mentally exhausted." Momo said to Katase.

"Exhausted? What do you mean?" Katase retorted.

"When someone is reincarnated, it takes a certain amount of energy to do it, and that amount changes based on how many pieces that person needs. Each piece also makes a connection to the king, so they can feel a portion of what we feel, and it can't be shut off for the first 24 hours after the person is reincarnated. Kaichou used 8 pieces all at once on Ise, that alone is an exhausting event...And she could feel his pain. Not on the same level as Ise, but the strength of the connection between them because of those 8 pieces is incredibly strong compared to the others."

Katase eyes widened, hearing that Sona was feeling some of Ise's pain. She couldn't blame her for deciding not to stay.

"I see, all the more reason for her to want the next best person for the job. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

 **-LineBreak-**

 **Midnight - Issei's room**

Katase had woken up, unable to stay asleep for very long, and decided to grab a glass of water. She downed the glass quickly, feeling the dryness in her throat leave. She didn't immediately go back upstairs and try to get to sleep again, she stared out of the window in the living room. Seeing the starlit sky, she took a deep breath, relieving herself of all the tension of the day.

Katase felt better than she had before moving Ise back home. That concern for his life was brought up ten fold because of her damn abandonment issues..yes...she knew she had them. And they hadn't even been brought on by anything all that traumatic, just her father needing to go off to other countries constantly for work. And her Mother...well she had memories of her mother.

Katase started making her way up the stairs, but went into Ise's room instead of hers, just to check on him. She quietly twisted the handle, and inch by inch opened the door, glancing between inside Ise's room and the hallway for people that might catch her. With the door opened enough for her to fit through, she made her way inside. Then closed the door just as quietly as she'd opened it.

After she felt the door click shut, she looked at the one she wanted to see, and tiptoed towards the bed. Issei was turned on his left side, slight sporadic twitches coming from him. She carefully sat herself on his bed, with just enough room to curl her legs to the side and entirely fit herself beside him.

Katase brushed the hair on his head. Taking in the peaceful yet concentrated look on his face, it looked the same as when he would train with her and murayama, taking in information and enjoying the presence of those around him.

'Don't you dare go changing too much on us Ise. As long as you keep that same honest and kind person, Murayama and I will help you with anything. Just please...stay the Ise that we've come to know.' Katase thought as she brushed the bangs in his face to the side.

She could hear Ise mumbling quietly in his sleep, so she leaned a bit closer to hear what it was.

"Dragon….too hot….stupid wings…" was what she could make out. She felt the strain of the day taking hold of her, a sudden need to sleep flooding her body. She went to lean back up and leave, but Ise suddenly turned towards her, arm stretched out and pinning her onto his bed with him.

"?!" Katase made a surprised gasp as she found herself held tightly in his grasp. She tried to lift herself up, but didn't have the strength. Instead of fighting it, she relented to her situation, it didn't bother her _too_ much since this wasn't the first time she's laid in his bed with him.

Finding a comfortable position, she moved her arm to Ise's, which was wrapped just under her chest. She gently rubbed her hand against his arm, feeling the heat radiating throughout his body to hers. Then she poked his forearm as she felt something different about him.

'His skin….It's tight...No, harder. Is that from the devil part, or dragon?' She thought, bringing her hand over his, closing her eyes and giving in to sleep.

Ise pulled her closer to his body before mumbling the last thing Katase heard before falling asleep.

"Hmmm...Azalea's. Katase's favorite."

 **END**

 **That 36 hr shift kicked my ass and was partially responsibe for the delay, I first thought of having this be a 10k chapter, but this seemed to be a good stopping point. Im also trying to move things a bit faster, we'll see how that goes. I'm not good at writing in general, let alone transitions that need a recap to fill in the gaps.**

 **Let me know where to improve. Next chapter within a week of this release.**


	9. Anything For A Friend

**Holy writers block man! I knew the main points I wanted to write out, but getting from point A to point B was killing me! But I made It, and the chapter is ready...I think.**

 **"...talking…"**

 **'...Thinking…'**

 **"** _ **..Host talking to Sacred gear only.."**_

 **[ Sacred gear spirit talking ]**

 _ **[Sacred gear spirit talking to host only ]**_

 **I OWN NOTHING**

 **Chapter 8**

Issei was sprinting down the streets of Kuoh Town, getting an early morning workout before the sun rose. He ran from his house all the way to Kuoh Academy at a full sprint, something he never imagined he' be able to do, without even breaking a sweat. So when he got to the school without feeling winded as he normally would, he continued on and ran into town. Issei was lost in a conversation with Ddraig as he made his way through town.

" _What was with all those smells in my room?"_ Issei asked, remembering the mixture of unfamiliar scents in his room when he woke up. The smell of Azalea's was the most prominent.

Issei turned a corner, to loop back around to his home so he wouldn't be late to get ready for school.

 _ **[That's your new sense of smell. You'll be able to tell beings apart by scent alone, and from a considerable distance, a perk of having dragons blood and organs. It will be a bit overwhelming the first time you're in a crowd of people.]**_ Ddraig said in Issei's mind. Natural born dragons would never have that problem, because they are born with that enhanced sense, but someone who had suddenly gained it would have to adjust.

" _That'll come in handy, Katase and Murayama will have a harder time sneaking up on me now. Although...I probably shouldn't tell them that I can smell them. That could sound kinda...Satlker-ish."_

Issei paused in his run as a car was going through the intersection he was looking to cross. He quickly picked the pace back up once it was gone. The sun was starting to come over the horizon, telling Issei to hurry home and get ready for his first day as a devil/dragon.

" _Is there a reason why you and Elsha both started to feel different to me the longer we trained last night?"_ Issei asked the dragon. During the training in his sacred gear, even though he'd only just met Elsha and Ddraig, they felt like he'd known them all his life. Almost like family.

Ddraig chuckled at his hosts question, knowing the feeling he was talking about.

 **[The reason is because of your new body parts. Your new organs are mixed with my DNA, in simple terms, it's almost like becoming a descendant of mine since you carry my blood.]** Ddraig's explanation made Issei almost trip over the curb he was stepping over as he ran his way home. Issei was lost in thought on his run, thinking of just how much his life had been changed in the last 24 hours.

Issei wiped the perspiration off of his brow, noticing that he was only slightly winded, as he opened the door to his home and stepped inside. Once inside he took his running shoes off and walked into the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of water to quench the thirst that built up from his run. Downing the bottle in a matter of seconds, Issei took a deep breath, feeling recovered from his long run. Issei's nostrils flared from the smell of wintergreen that seemed to be getting stronger, then he heard footsteps coming from the stairs, he turned to face whoever it was.

Momo turned the corner into the kitchen, and her eyes widened in relief at seeing Issei, she darted towards him. Momo wrapped her arms around his waist and held on tightly.

"There you are Ise, I started getting worried when I saw you weren't in bed." Momo said as she released a breath of relief, as she felt the radiant warmth coming from Issei's body.

Issei's nose was still being assaulted by the pleasant smell of wintergreen as he felt his heart start to race from the close contact to Momo. Issei returned the hug before coming to the realisation that he had no idea she why she was in his house. Issei took Momo by the shoulders and moved her a foot away so that he could make eye contact with her to ask his question.

Momo looked a little upset and confused when Issei removed her from holding onto him.

"Momo, why are you here so early?" He asked.

Momo tilted her head to the side, forgetting that Issei hadn't been aware of the conversation on who would stay at his house last night due to being passed out.

"I stayed to make sure that nothing happened to you overnight. Elsha told us that you'd be fine by morning, but we wanted to be sure. So how are you feeling?" Momo said with a smile, getting the impression that Ise wasn't having any negative side effects.

Issei rubbed the back of his head, feeling a little embarrassed that his fainting episode yesterday had interrupted a few peoples evenings.

"Oh, thanks for keeping an eye on me. I feel fine now, nothing feels out of place at the moment, just some new sensations to get used to is all." Issei replied with a nervous chuckle at the end.

"New sensations?" Momo asked curiously.

Issei didn't answer the question as he had picked up on the scent that was the heaviest in his room when he woke up, Azaleas. Issei turned his head towards the kitchen doorway, hearing the footsteps coming closer, and the scent stronger. Issei saw Katase come around the corner, stretching her arms above her head, making her chest more pronounced through the loose pajamas. Issei felt his heart rate quicken again, taking in every millisecond of the pink haired girls actions.

Issei smiled towards Katase as she relaxed her arms, eyes closed and walking towards Issei not realising he was there.

"Good morning." He said with a small wave, making Katase jump a little at the sudden unexpected voice.

Katase opened her eyes quickly and spotted Issei standing in the kitchen with his hand on Momo's shoulder. Her surprise quickly turned into suspicion, recalling when she found Momo on top of Issei kissing him. She walked with heavy feet towards the two, her eyes switching between them, and a hand on her hips. Her gaze finally settled on Issei.

"Ise, isn't it a bit too early for your hormones to be getting the better of you?" She asked accusingly.

Issei blinked in confusion at what Katase was getting at. Then glanced towards Momo, seeing his hand still on Momo, quickly retracting it as he felt his face heat up. He waved his hands in defense.

"It's not what you think, I swear! I was just asking her why she was here so early!" Issei defended.

Katase was slightly appeased, but still a bit suspicious of what was going on. But she was certain that Ise wouldn't lie to her about something like this. Momo on the other hand had a slight pout on her face. She poked Ise in the side to regain his attention, Issei jumped a bit at the sudden finger in his ribs.

"Ise, you didn't answer my question. What new sensations were you talking about?" She restated her question, Elsha hadn't elaborated too much on the specifics on what changes would happen with Ise's body, only that he'd be more likely to give in to any primal urges. That was something she was quietly in agreement with Reya in, she wanted to see just how far to the edge she could bring Ise, but this wasn't the right moment for that.

Issei rubbed the back of head once more, thinking that any girl wouldn't react well to hearing that he could smell them from a far distance, that just didn't sound like a conversation with a good ending. But Issei always made it a point to tell the truth, no matter if it got him in trouble.

"U-umm...Ddraig told me that I have a dragons sense of hearing and smell. So when I came back from my run this morning, I could smell wintergreen once you left the guest room and started coming downstairs. And Azaleas when Yui came down." Issei said, his eyes finding the kitchen window more interesting than anything else at the moment.

As Issei stared at the window, Both Momo and Katase stood there with wide eyes and blushed faces. Katase wasn't sure what came over her, but she walked up to Ise, and took his left hand in her right, squeezing it gently before looking at him when his face came back from staring at the window.

"So...You're feeling..relatively normal? No weird pains or after effects?" She asked hesitantly, the embarrassment of her actions coming to her in full force.

Issei squeezed her hand back, gently so as not to hurt her. "I feel great. No problems to speak of."

 **-LineBreak-**

Issei walked into the school gates with Katase and Momo on either side of him, he had been holding his nose for the last 100 feet as they drew near the mass of people. Momo and Katase both looked at Issei, and held back a laugh at his reaction. Katase calmed herself down first, wiping a tear away she asked.

"Something smell funny Ise?" Issei shook his head, his hand not leaving his nose.

"There's too many, it's like I walked into a warehouse of bars of scentless soap." He said, his voice had a nasal tone as he blocked out as much of the smells as he could, which was only helping a little bit.

"So we have distinct scents while the people here don't?" Momo asked as she saw Issei's head nod, removing his hand from his nose.

"I suppose I need to get used to it, can't be holding my nose closed my entire highschool career. Hmm, something smells like cinnamon." He said, as he turned to look behind them.

The two girls rose eyebrows at that statement, then turned to follow his line of sight. They saw Murayama coming through the school gates behind them, once she saw Ise and Katase, she ran up to them.

"Ise, how are you feeling?" She asked concerned, her attention focused solely on him.

Issei rubbed the back of his head with a smile, he was about to assure her that he was feeling fine, but Katase and Momo saw an opportunity to tease both Issei and Murayama.

"I'd say he's better than ever, he even has a new trick up his sleeve." Momo said.

"Yeah, and apparently you smell like cinnamon to him." Katase said, both girls gained sly smirks as Murayama's face lit up a bright red.

The narrowed glare Murayama gave Ise was hard to take serious with her extreme blush, she stepped forward towards Issei, her right index finger poking into his chest.

"And just how did you come to that conclusion? You didn't steal some of my clothes when I wasn't looking did you?" Her accusation made Issei go on the defensive. He took a few steps back, hands raised.

"I didn't do anything like that! My nose is really sensitive now, I smelled cinnamon and when I turned around it was you!" Issei said quickly, then shooting the other two girls a glare of his own.

"You can't just say something like that without context, it makes me sound like some kind of deranged pervert." Issei said with crossed arms at the two girls next to him.

Murayama stepped back, her face starting to return to its normal color, noticed they only had a few minutes before the first classes began. She set her eyes back onto Ise, a wave of relief flooded over her, seeing that he was alright and with the same personality that she came to enjoy. But then the conversation with her parents last night came to her, making her face turning into a poorly hidden frown.

Katase watched Murayama's frown, hoping she was wrong about what was making her feel down. Katase stepped towards her brunette friend by the hand and started dragging her away from Issei and Momo, towards the Kendo room. She turned her head, seeing Murayama's surprised face as she waved to Issei.

"We have some club stuff to do before class, see ya later Ise!" She yelled, turning her head forward and continuing out of sight.

Issei and Momo watched the duo leave, confused about the sudden exit. Momo took this chance, and dragged Issei away while hugging onto his arm, just as the bell rang to warn students class was starting in a few minutes.

 **-LineBreak-**

Issei sat in his desk, unaware that the final bell for the day had rung, and unaware of all the students leaving the room. His mind was bouncing between two different thoughts. Where Katase and Murayama were, they hadn't met up with him for lunch. And the other was the strange nervous feeling he had been getting right after the lunch break. It was coming from the same place as the feeling of moving water, so Issei thought it had to do with Sona.

His eyes locked on the sun through the window at the side of the room. He suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder, making him jump a bit, but calmed down when he saw who it was.

"You alright Issei? Kaichou wants to see you." It was Yura, the blue haired girl from the student council. Once Issei was brought back to reality, the scent of plum flooded his nose.

"Yea, sorry, was just spacing out a bit." Issei said as he stood up from his seat, walking out with his fellow devil.

As they walked down the hall, Issei got the feeling that most of the other girls in Sona's peerage were more familiar with him then he was with them. Hardly knowing someone you might be fighting alongside didn't sound good, so he wanted to get to know each of them better. Maybe this meeting would help with that.

"I know we haven't really had a chance to talk yet, but I'm looking forward to getting to know you and the other members." Issei said to yura with a smile.

Yura turned to face Issei, returning the smile.

"Same here, we were all excited that you joined Kaichou, I think you'll fit in great. I can see why Reya and Momo took a liking to you so quickly." She said, a small laugh at the end.

Issei was about to ask what Yura meant by that, but the arrived at the door to the student council. Yura knocked on the door, and waited for a few seconds before it was opened by Tsubaki. The tall girl with glasses opened the door fully at seeing her peerage members.

"Please, come in."

Yura walked in first, followed closely by Issei. Yura took her usual spot next to Tomoe and Momo. Issei didn't want to seem like the center of attention, so he stood next to Tomoe on the side of the room.

Sona was looking over a piece of paper that had the same magic circle that she produced when she used her magic, the Sitri symbol. Issei could feel that same nervous feeling flare up again, this time a bit stronger, and a building feeling of moving water swelled up with it. Sona's eyes were narrowed as she looked over the paper sent to her by her family.

Tsubaki, knowing what this was about, brought Sona out of her reading.

"Kaichou, everyone is present now."

Sona looked up from the paper in her hands, taking control of her emotions again. She stood up from her chair and sat on the front of her desk while she faced her peerage. Her eyes made their way down the line, going from Reya to Momo, then Yura and Tomoe, then stopping on Issei.

"I'm glad to see that your back on your feet Issei. I'd like to get right to business." Sona said, taking on her school official persona.

All members nodded their heads in agreement.

"Good. Issei, since you woke, has anything been out of place? Or different?" She asked Issei directly, her violet eyes softening a little as they made eye contact. The nervous feeling she'd been having for a good portion of the day fading as her link to Issei radiated its warmth to her.

"The first thing I noticed is that my body is warmer, I had a hard time telling if the water in my shower was stuck on luke warm until I noticed the steam in the room, so I think my skin has already started adapting to the dragons blood going through my heart." Issei said, recalling the difficulty he had in the shower that morning. All he could really feel was the droplets hitting his skin, there wasn't any recognition of hot or cold.

Sona nodded, she wanted a full description of anything Issei felt was different, maybe something would alter her plans on training. After the delivery of that notice, she'd need to expand the things she'd cover with him, and increase the intensity. She'd also need to ask one of the two instructors she had in mind for Issei to go to during the week break coming at the end of the month.

"Anything else?"

Issei nodded, continuing with the changes he's experiencing, the rest of the peerage listening in interest.

"Yes, I went out on a run this morning, and managed to sprint nearly the whole way from my house to the edge of town and back. Afterwards I was only slightly winded, and felt fully recovered after a few minutes. Ddraig and Elsha told me last night that would happen since I have new lungs with a high capacity."

Sona and the rest of the girls in the room rose an eyebrow at that. They didn't know that while he was passed out, Issei was going through the hardest training he'd ever experienced.

"You were speaking to them last night?" Sona asked. Her question was answered by one of the two beings in question, as a green light flooded the room, coming from Issei's left arm. When the light was gone, the boosted gear was there on his arm, in the form of its second liberation.

 **[While his body was changing, Elsha and I took the opportunity to train him in some of his new abilities. Only a dragon can help train dragon based skills. His dragon fire is coming along nicely, but physical strength and magical ability are his current achilles heel.]** Ddraig spoke from Issei's hand. The girls in the room all looked shocked from suddenly hearing a being that was feared throughout all factions. Sona was the most composed, but even she jumped a bit at the deep and powerful voice of the Welsh Dragon.

Issei looked down to his arm where the gauntlet was. "Mornin Ddraig!"

Sona adjusted her glasses that had fallen down to the edge of her nose from being startled. Then greeted the new arrival to their conversation.

"It's an honor to speak to you Ddraig, My name is Sona Sitri, Next heir to the Sitri family." She said with a small bow of her head. The girls of her peerage were still a little too shocked to speak, and they didn't feel it was their place to interrupt the conversation, this was between Issei Ddraig and Sona.

 **[Nice to meet you as well, Elsha has filled me in with the situation. It's been a long time since a host of mine has come across a member of your family.]** Ddraig said to Sona, getting a reminder that the NorseFire Dragon and the Welsh Dragon both knew of her sisters antics.

"So what do you suggest for a training schedule for Issei?" Sona responded quickly, wanting to get away from the topic of her childish sister. Sona had the feeling that she wouldn't be able to hide her peerage away from the childish Satan for much longer, but she would try her hardest to hold off that embarrassment.

 **[I would recommend to bring my host to Tannin for physical strength. As for magical ability, the fastest route would be someone Elsha is familiar with, who lives in the familiar forest. Although, she may just attack Issei on sight. She's a bit of a wild card.]** Ddraig sighed after saying his piece, the one in the familiar forest had only ever gotten along with Elsha of all of his hosts. And it was mostly because they bonded over how many men tried to "claim" them as their own. So just how she would react was unpredictable.

Sona's eyes widened at the mention of having Issei train with _two_ Dragon Kings. Especially that the strongest of them might kill her pawn, who hadn't wronged the dragon in the first place. Sona wanted to know just why the only female Dragon King would want to kill Issei, but felt that prying into a heavenly dragons personal life was ill-advised.

"I see. I can set up a meeting with Tannin, hopefully have them train during golden week at the end of the month. For the other, I was planning on bringing him to the familiar forest the following month."

Sona had her hand on her chin as she sat on the edge of her desk. She stood from her spot and looked towards Issei again.

"Issei, let's go outside and test out what your current abilities are at."

 **-LineBreak-**

Issei stood in the field behind the old school building, getting to show what he'd learned with Ddraig and Elsha last night, but with more spectators than he'd expected.

In front of him was Sona, who had summoned a lion, and a giant eagle, both made of clear and pure water. Off to the right were two groups of people. The first being his friends and peerage, Katase Murayama Momo Reya Yura Tomoe and Tsubaki. He understood why all of them were there, Katase and Murayama had come out of nowhere in their Kendo uniforms and followed the group when they saw Issei.

The other group seemed to be Rias Gremory's peerage. Rias was standing slightly in front of the rest, with a black haired violet eyed girl just behind her to the left. Off to Rias' right was a blonde haired boy with grey eyes and a mole under his left eye, and a short girl with white hair with amber eyes, everyone was in their school uniforms except for this smaller girl. She was wearing a black shirt and skirt which Issei thought contrasted nicely with her light skin and white hair.

"I'm ready Kaichou, Boosted Gear!" Issei said as he called out his gauntlet, when Rias and her group saw it, the each gasped at seeing one of the top tier sacred gears that was said to able to grant enough power to shift the balance of the three factions. Murayama and Katase also looked at it with awe, finally placing what Issei had said was held inside of him.

Sona nodded, raising her left hand into the air, the eagle responded by tucking its head down, looking like it was about to take flight.

"Alright, let's see how strong your fire is without any boosts first." Sona said as she brought her hand down.

The eagle kicked off the ground, flapping its wings and gaining speed towards Issei. The setting sun was glistening through the birds water body.

Issei clenched both fists, took a deep breath in, feeling the heat as his head tilted back ready to set his flames onto his magical opponent.

The eagle sped towards Issei at a quick speed, testing how fast he could ready his flame. The bird was only 5 feet in front of him when he leaned forward and released the heated breath he held.

Issei's jaw opened and released the dark red fire, a signature of the Red Dragon Emperor, which came barreling out towards the eagle approaching him. Then Flames made contact with the water, and a cloud of steam surrounded the area, neither Issei nor Sona could see through it.

When the wind blew the steam away, the water eagle was gone completely. Sona lifted her left hand once more, the steam floating around condensing and reforming the eagle at her side as it was before. She set her eyes on Issei with a look of surprise and pride.

Issei looked a bit winded from that last attack, taking deep breathes through his nose, his chest rising then releasing it through his mouth.

"Very good Issei, now try the lion with one boost." Sona said, raising her right hand to signal the water lion to prepare to run towards Issei.

Issei nodded, taking one more breath to regain himself. He raised his gauntlet clad arm.

"Boost!" **[Boost!]** Issei yelled, which was mirrored quickly after with a shout from Ddraig and a green shine from the jewel on the gauntlet.

Sona's water lion took off from his spot next to her on all fours. His strides were long, and was closing the distance faster than the eagle had.

Issei took in another deep breath, holding it in, and felt the heat build inside. His head titled back, he brought his left arm with the boosted gear over his lungs, and gave the mental command. 'Transfer!'

 **[Transfer!]** Ddraig rang out his hosts command, doubling the size and intensity of the heat Issei felt. The new power of the flames was getting a bit much to hold on to.

The lion was now at the same distance the eagle had been when it had been evaporated. Issei leaned forward, ready to turn this water beast into steam as well.

Issei released the intense heat from his jaw, sending a torrent of Dark red flames spiraling towards the lion. The lion roared towards the enclosing fire, sensing the heat off of it.

As the lion and flames met, an explosion of superheated steam covered the area, a cloud much bigger and thicker than the last.

Sona used a barrier spell to ward off the heated water from her, she looked to the side to see the group that came with them.

Both groups had used their own barriers to protect themselves. Sona's group had covered Katase and Murayama from getting hurt, since they couldn't protect themselves. Rias' queen Akeno, had covered their whole group with a red barrier.

Sona raised both hands to dispel the steam.

As it cleared, Issei was down on one knee, panting heavily. The veins in his neck were distended, his face red and some sweat on his forehead. Sona's eyes widened at seeing her pawn that _just_ recovered already being possibly hurt, she checked their link as she ran up to him, since the others were still behind barriers.

Sona sighed, relieved that he had only exhausted his energy, and a bit of first degree burn from the steam. Issei laid down on his back, still trying to catch his breath, his face spread into a smile and he started laughing.

"Hahaha, man….that was hot! And exhausting, but mostly hot." He said, his voice weak from lack of air in his lungs.

Sona's face split into a smile at Issei as she knelt beside him to make sure he was fine. But his words settled that worry for her. Murayama and Katase wanted to run to Issei when they saw him looking like he was about to pass out, but the heat still radiating through the area in front of them made that impossible. Momo and Reya felt the same Murayama and Katase, but they knew Sona would help Issei if he needed it.

Sona lifted her right hand in front of the lying Issei's face as he opened his eyes. Issei looked at her hand, seeing her thumb held against the tip of her middle finger, like it was holding it back. Issei rose an eyebrow towards his king.

"Kaichou?" he asked.

Sona released her middle finger, flicking Issei on the forehead.

*Thud*

The hit made a surprisingly hollow sound that was heard by everyone, and made Katase and Murayama burst out laughing. Sona's eyes turned into a scrutinising gaze.

"Don't worry us like that, you just recovered." She said, her eyes softening as the smile came back.

Sona stood up, offering a hand to pick him up off of the floor, which Issei accepted.

When Issei was back on his feet, he rubbed the back of his head with a wry smile.

"I guess I need to get my boost limit up with fire, that was way too exhausting."

Sona nodded, knowing just how that felt, she experienced the same thing when trying to summon her water dragon for the first time.

"We'll work on it, it'll be hard, but I can guarantee it'll be worth it."

 **-LineBreak-**

Issei was tiptoeing down the stairs of his house, trying to make sure he didn't get caught going downstairs by Katase, who was staying the night again and would be going back to Murayama's tomorrow after school. He was on a mission to talk to his mother about something he heard before Murayama left them to go see her parents for their last night for the next month.

Issei found his mother in the kitchen, drying the last few dishes from dinner, and she hadn't noticed his approach yet. Issei stepped towards her until he within arms reach, he lifted his hand, and tapped on her shoulder.

"Hmm? Need something sweetie?" His mother asked, as she turned and saw her son was trying to get her attention.

Mrs. Hyoudou put down the plate she was drying, wiped her hands on her apron and turned to face her son.

Issei nodded, his left index finger on his lips saying they needed to be quiet. Mrs. Hyoudou gained a confused look when she saw this.

"I need to talk to you about something important, but we need to be quiet. I don't want Yui to find out and tell Kaori, at least not yet." he said seriously.

"Okay, what is it?" She asked, it must be something important if he didn't even want the two girls he was almost constantly with to know about it. She watched as Issei looked behind them and took a deep breath through his nose before turning back.

Issei's eyes were locked with his mothers, and held a serious look.

"Kaori was upset about something this morning at school, but seemed like she didn't want to talk about, but I overheard it after school. Her parents might be selling their house and moving, they won't know for sure until the next time they come to town. They told her she could stay if she can afford to live on her own, but with kendo that'd be extremely hard. So….If it comes to it, can I offer for Kaori and Yui to live here with us?"

Issei's eyes kept themselves locked on his mothers, looking for any kind of visual cue. He finally got it when her eyes turned from curiosity into a soft smile.

"I'll have to talk to your father, but I think that'd be fine." She said smiling, feeling proud of her son, seeing how considerate he was to his friends and not wanting to put himself into a situation that they might not want him involved.

"Thanks mom, Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Ise."

 **END**

 **Some parts might seem a bit rushed, but I'm trying to move things along a little quicker.**

 **I won't elaborate too much on what happened this chapter, cause alot of it will come back soon, some things I want to add in as Pre-Canon.**

 **Rias and her peerage will get more time with during his training.**


	10. Figurines and Freakouts

Friday, the last day of the school week, had come and gone in a blur to Issei. He could hardly concentrate on the things a normal high school student should be, what with all the rapid changes in his life.

The sudden reveal that supernatural beings were real, having a bunch of them in his school. Learning that he had a dragon sealed inside his soul, becoming a devil, and then part dragon almost at the same time.

The thought that there was no way he should have been able to mentally absorb all of this as the truth came to mind. But when everything had been proven beyond any reasonable doubt, all he could really do was just take it in stride and move forward.

The only thing he could really recall that was even somewhat related to a normal school life, was Sona saying that she wanted him to basically a go between for the class reps and the student council, a position that required little of his time, so he'd be free to join a club of his choosing.

He had pretty much decided to join the kendo club, with Ddraig, Elsha and Sona urging him to do so. They claimed that knowing how to deal with an opponent armed with a sword would be extremely useful, since supernatural battles tended to be with either magic of melee weapons.

Going to get the club membership form had been the first close call Issei had in quite a while since his anti-perv training had started. And had Katase and Murayama not stepped in, he thought for sure he'd be sporting some new bruises.

He had been walking to where the kendo club met after school each day, lost in a mental conversation with Ddraig and Elsha about why Kendo was the right choice instead of some sort of martial arts club.

 **[Training against an armed opponent is harder to find and adapt to than a purely physical art.]** Ddraig had said. And while Issei could agree with him, he still had wanted to argue that he should have at least a basic knowledge of how to act in a fist fight first.

But Elsha had brought up a good point other than what the legendary dragon had offered that had convinced him that it was the right decision.

 _" If you can learn to read the strikes of a sword, which will be quicker, and have a longer reach, reading a strike from a fist will be much easier Ise."_

'Hmmm, I suppose that makes sense. Still though, I get the feeling that Yui and Kaori are going to get a little too much satisfaction of having another excuse to beat the crap out of me.' Issei reasoned.

Walking through the campus with his head towards the ground, most students still around just thought he looked lost in thought, oblivious to the fact that he had two voices talking to him in his head.

His walk to the kendo room was coming to a quick close without him realizing it. only a dozen or so more steps and he'd be at the door.

 _" The best training results I ever had, were when my opponent held no qualms about possibly inflicting fatal wounds. If you had someone like that to spar against, the results would be much quicker. Oh, well would you look at that…You might just get a taste now."_ Elsha spoke, her tone at first was analytical, but the end was filled with surprise…and a hint of mischievous glee.

Issei hadn't registered the fact that his hand had already grabbed and turned the door to the Kendo room, and had made the first two steps inside. The only reason he looked up and around him when he did, was due to the echoed gasps that seemed to surround him.

His eyes became focused as they came back up, only widen in surprise.

The sight hadn't fully registered in his mind, but the scents did. Salt, along with a mixture of wood and various others. Two were familiar to Issei though.

Azalea's and Cinnamon, both with a hint of salt to them.

As his brain connected to his eyes, Issei realized that he was looking at about a dozen young women in various states of undress. All of them had their eyes locked onto him.

Most were still removing their Kendo gear. 3 were walking around in their bra and panties. The girl that looked the most mortified was standing completely bare chested, bent over to remove the last undergarment, her face bright red and eyes starting to flicker with anger.

Issei was shocked stiff, almost like he was frozen in a block of ice. His minds eye taking picture after picture of the scene before him. Still in his daze, the scent of cinnamon and azaleas crept up from his right.

"Ise?" he heard the voice of Murayama vaguely.

No response.

"Oi, Ise!" This time Katase, a little louder, noticing his unmoving form.

The newly born devil/dragon could feel a rapid heat wash over him as those two unseen voices walked closer, the salt laced smells flooding his being. His heart picked up its pace, and a quick spell of light headedness came with it. He could swear that the only thing he heard at the moment was his blood pumping through his veins as his vision seemed to black out for the briefest of moments.

Two hands closed over his shoulders, and lightly shook him back and forth. His sight came back, and Murayama was standing in front of him in her nearly topless glory with a look of worry across her face.

Her bra was unhooked but still on her shoulders, barely containing her larger than average breasts.

Issei had to bite his cheek as he felt an urge to bite her where her collarbone met her neck.

The shock that pain gave him, brought him back to reality completely. He slammed his eyes shut tightly, brought his right hand to cover his nose from the intoxicating smell that was overwhelming his senses, and tried to turn around but Murayama wouldn't let him.

"Sorry! I didn't know you change in here." He said, loud enough for his voice to carry through the entire room. 'Best…day…ever…' he thought to himself

Murayama and Katase looked at their friend, and the state he was in. His eyes had been glazed over when they walked over to him, he was almost catatonic. His chest was raising and falling at a fast and uneven rate. And a faint blush came over his cheeks.

They looked to each other, shared a silent comment to each other, before Murayama removed her hands from his shoulders. She instead grabbed his left hand, and started dragging him to the back room where the supplies were kept.

"C'mon, we'll talk back here so they can change." Murayama said gently.

 _"Well damn. I thought for sure that they'd be out for blood after that little stunt. Ise you lady killer. Fufufu. Although, who knew these two would get such a strong reaction from you."_ Elsha chimed in his head.

"You're not helping Elsha." Issei mistakenly spoke out loud, thankfully only Katase and Murayama had the possibility to hear him, which they did. And dragged him the last few feet to the back room even quicker to find out what was wrong.

Now in the back room, the sliding door closed and the whispers of the other members picking back up, Murayama released her hold on Issei, quickly hooking her bra back into place.

 **[kukuku, this is amusing.]** Apparently Ddraig found his hosts situation funny as well.

"Ise, whats wrong? You can open your eyes now." Katase spoke from Murayamas side, both directly in front of him.

Issei quickly shook his head, made a little awkward with his hand still covering his nose.

"You two are in your underwear, the last time I saw you like this, you beat me till I couldn't see straight."

"Heh, yeah, that was fun. But we hardly knew each other then Ise. You've seen us in bikini's, not much difference other than some lace. Now, open your eyes." Katase chuckled as she thought fondly of the beating they gave him that day.

Issei slowly opened his eyes, and half anticipated to see a wooden sword coming his way, but thankfully didn't. He only saw the two girls in their lacy underwear.

"What brought you here?" Murayama asked.

"To grab an application." he answered shortly.

Katase tilted her head to the side, while Murayama had a frown of confusion for a brief moment, before they flashed Issei a smile that could shine through the thickest shadow.

"Really?" "You want to join the kendo club?"

When Issei nodded to their question, his hand was knocked from his nostrils as Murayama and Katase lunged forward to hug him.

The air in Issei's lungs was knocked out from the unexpected contact, with Murayama's arms around his waist and Katase's around his neck, Issei took a breath in surprise only to feel that heat return throughout his body.

The instincts pulsing through his body were nearly demanding that he pin them underneath his body, mark them as his, take them, spoil them, _defile_ them.

And Issei was more than a little frightened of what was going through his mind.

'What the hell is happening to me? Ddraig? Elsha?'

The double set of laughter ringing in his mind was just a tad unsettling, but they quickly calmed down to answer.

 _"You have two attractive, almost naked, sweaty girls attached to you. I'm rather impressed that you haven't given in to the urge. This is due to the dragon in you Ise, take a deep breath through your mouth, and not the nose."_

'And why does the sweaty part of all this make a difference?!' Issei yelled out to Elsha as he took her advice and took a breath in through his mouth, and blew out his nose.

 **[Dragons respect power, and the pursuit of power. It's not so much the fact of them perspiring, but that which it represents. Working to better ones self is a desirable trait in a mate. And your body recognized that on some level, your two future mates are doing at least some of it for you.]**

The implication of Ddraigs words sank in quickly, making Issei jerk himself back, half in surprise and half disgust with himself. he got his body free from the duo holding onto him, and quickly pulled his hand back to his nose.

They were their own person, made their own choices. Who was _he_ to think that they were his?

 _"Ise, you're looking at it the wrong way."_ Elsha said, trying to soothe him.

The girls looked at him with a mixture of hurt and confusion. Until they saw that his eyes seemed to be unfocused.

"Ise, what's wrong?"

Issei opened his mouth to speak, but the flash of green light in the room stopped him. It died down quickly, and all three of them were looking at his arm as he brought up the boosted gear.

 ** _"Let me Ise."_** Elsha said to her pupil and successor.

 **"** ** _Yui, Kaori. Nothing is wrong per se. Ise is just having trouble with his new dragon side, and the instinctual desires that come along with it. You know that he finds you both attractive. His new instincts are almost screaming at him to make a move on you two._** **"** The two girls were both surprised with the casual way the female voice called out to them. But figured that it was because she was linked to Ise. An intense blush came over them with the mention of what was bothering the boy in front of them.

 ** _"A dragon respects power, and the pursuit for it."_** She continued, mirroring Ddraigs words.

 ** _"With his affections for you two, your state of undress, and the sweaty post workout state your in… Every instinct, both new and old are going haywire."_**

"Elsha, what the hell?!" Issei yelled at the powerful woman.

 **-LineBreak-**

Walking home after school and after Sona had looked for….something in his body, Issei had his phone out and was opening a new message. Much to his surprise, it was from his old buddy Matsuda.

-YO Ise! you free tomorrow? Motohama wants to go grab a new figure, and theres a new place we want to hit up.

Looking up to the sky as he walked, Issei tried to recall if there were any plans he'd already made this weekend. He couldn't remember making any with Katase or Murayama, although there was something coming up that this little shopping excursion would be good for.

He had only known Momo and Reya for a few days, so there weren't any plans there that he could recall. Sona had also said he would have his weekend to himself.

Plus, he hadn't seen his middle school friends in over a month, so why not hang out and see what their new school life is like for them. The thought of being free to let his more carnal desires show was a welcomed one.

I've got nothing planned, meet up at the same place and time?

After hitting send, He pondered what he needed to look for tomorrow, and how his friends would react. Buying a birthday gift for a girl could imply a closer relationship then what he had with them, but it would be _so_ worth it to rub in the fact that he was friends with some drop dead gorgeous girls now.

 **-LineBreak-**

Still sitting inside her office in the student council, Sona was going over what she found out about Issei's magical structure.

She wanted to test for any possible elemental affinities that were lying dormant. There was a good chance that the servant would take on aspects of their masters magical abilities once the evil piece was placed inside them. All of her peerage had at least a small affinity with water after she reincarnated them, Tsubaki being the one with the highest so far.

That wasn't too surprising, seeing as her family line was known for cleansing evil spirits, and water had purifying properties.

But what she thought she found in Issei was just… _Impossible._ It shouldn't be possible. And to a certain degree, Sona felt that it was just, wrong.

As she expected when she first peered into his being, the greatest element he held was fire. Being turned part dragon would do that.

The fire he displayed during her training session with Issei was nothing compared to the fire hidden inside him. It was a flame that burned unlike any she'd seen before. It was hotter than the flames Issei used previously, and it flicked wildly, almost as if trying to search for something to burn until not even ash remained.

Then she found the small flow of water, gently passing through him. That was a sight Sona had always found calming. It was a peculiar feeling for her this time though, she could hear the crackling of the fire, feel its warmth spread around her as she gazed at the crystal clear liquid. It gave her a sense of peace, a security she had only experienced from one other.

That was when her minds eye caught the small glimmer of something that looked like it was far in the distance, only to find that instead of being far away, it was just incredibly small.

That didn't help the shock of what she found though, merely made her more curious about it. For something like this to have taken a place inside of Issei, it wasn't an inborn ability. Instead it was something that he had to have regular contact with, something that his spirit, his soul welcomed into itself.

Her own nature was telling her to run away from the small glowing globe, lest she cease to exist.

'It doesn't seem to be harming him in any way. At least, not with its current strength. How did he obtain it though? A person, an object?'

Sona was brought out of her thoughts by a knock on the door to her office. She straightened herself in her chair before calling to the person at the door.

"Enter."

As the door opened, Sona knew who it was as soon as she caught a glimpse of that crimson hair. But why Rias was here to see her was a mystery.

The Gremory heiress walked into the office with her usual grace and regal posture, approaching Sona's desk with a smile for her friend.

"Hello Sona, did I catch you at a bad time?"

Sona returned the smile, as long as the meeting was for a friendly nature and not something related to a problem in their territory, she was always glad to see the Crimson Ruin Princess.

"No, just finishing some paperwork is all. What can I do for you Rias?"

Rias sat in the seat across from her friends desk, legs crossed and hands folded in her lap, emitting the perfect picture of the noble birth from which she came.

"I have a request of sorts."

Sona raised an eyebrow at that. Rias almost never asked her for anything, and with the new addition to the devil count, there was little question in her mind that this _request_ had to do with Issei.

"I'm listening."

 **-LineBreak-**

"I swear you two are trying to kill me or something!"

Issei exclaimed through pants. after going through the usual evening with his parents, Ddraig and Elsha told him it was time for bed and training inside the Boosted Gear. _Told,_ not asked. And for some reason that irritated him.

His hands were on his knees as he bent forward catching his breath. Once again he found himself in Elsha's field.

This time around, they were working on getting Issei used to using his wings to direct his body to evade attacks. And after what seemed like _days,_ but was more accurately just over two hours, he was sporting some good bruises on his body. Even if they were basically imaginary, they hurt like hell at the moment.

Issei caught the sight of Elsha's white dress in front of him as her floral scent bombarded his senses.

Her presence had an equal amount of calming and arousing effect on him, which felt really strange. If he ever told someone that he had been turned on by a woman that had been dead for over a century, he was sure they would give him a look of pure disgust, thinking he was some sort of necrophiliac or something.

A soft hand cupped his chin and effortlessly lifted him back to a standing position. He was immediately met with the sky blue and green eyes of his teacher/predecessor.

Her hand moved from his chin to back of his head. Elsha stepped forward into him, her left arm reaching around to his back and pulled him close into a hug. Her head leaned forward to rest against the side of his.

"I'm proud of you Ise. You're learning so quickly." She spoke softly into his ear, his newer instincts were flared from the close contact, as his face was being pressed into her bountiful bust.

With a sigh of contentment, and the quickly receding exhaustion, Issei wrapped his arms around to her back and returned the hug. His eyes were closed and taking in the floral scent Elsha exuded.

He could now differentiate the separate flowers, their night began with him and Elsha taking a walk and checking the floral species. Lilys, roses, iris, chrysthanemum, daisies. There were plenty more, but he couldn't identify those by scent scent alone yet.

"Let's take a break, okay?" Elsha said, as she released her grip on Issei.

His grip tightened around her for a brief moment, before pulling back to stand on his own.

The two sat down in the shade of a tree to talk as Ddraig closed his eyes for a nap, not feeling that he was needed for whatever conversation was going on.

Issei started to think about his day hanging out with his friends tomorrow, and what it was that he would be looking for, he'd have to bring the stash of money in his drawer with him.

"Ise." Elsha said, bringing his attention over to her.

"Before we end for the night, there's one more thing i'd like for you to try."

If a girl this unbelievably hot had said those words to him before he had met Katase and Murayama, Issei's mind would have gone straight to thinking of all the sexual things he'd want to do to her.

Even though he knew this was pertaining to some part of his training, he couldn't help but briefly picture her naked, kneeling in front of him, her lips wrapped around his-

 ***thud***

Issei's head tilted back from being flicked between the eyes by Elsha. Rubbing the spot as he looked back towards her, he saw an amused smile on her face and her cheeks lightly pink.

"Focus. This is important." Elsha scolded him lightly. She saw the perverted grin on his face, and needed him to focus. It was expected that his thoughts would wander that way, due to his age, and with his new change into part dragon, but that would have to wait until he was done with training.

"Alright, i'm ready." Issei said after shaking his head clear of those thoughts.

Elsha moved to sit directly in front of Issei, and took both his hands in hers.

"What i'm going to show you is a stepping stone. We're going to do a form of astral projection. You'll only be able to hold it for a few seconds before coming back here, okay?"

Issei's eyes widened a bit at what she said they'd be doing. He wasn't really sure why she wanted to show this to him, but it sounded like an awesome ability to have.

 **-LineBreak-**

Issei was dressed and just about ready to head out the door, before remembering to grab the extra cash he had hidden away in case he ever needed it. Running up to his room, he pulled open his sock and underwear drawer and went directly to the bottom.

Grabbing the bundle of boxers and lifting them up, Issei felt something metal in between his fingers.

pulling his hand back to see what it was, he pulled out a bracelet that was a mix of Black and gold links. On each of the golden links was what looked like a small dragon etched perfectly into it, and on the black was a circular shield with unreadable runes.

Issei's eyes widened as he remembered where he'd gotten this piece of jewelry.

"I can't believe it's been here this whole time… I thought I lost it." He whispered to himself. Sliding it over his left wrist, Issei saw that it was a perfect fit, it wasn't too tight and it didn't dangle too far off his wrist.

"Mr. Shidou really wanted me to always wear this thing."

When he grabbed the money from the other side of his drawer, Issei left his house to the train station to meet up with his friends.

 **-LineBreak-**

A quick train ride later, Issei was walking up to the cafe that him and his two friends usually met at for one of their city visits. The bell above the door rang as he pushed it open and walked inside.

The mild chatter of the place was met with a scent that never failed to make his mouth water, his favorite food, cheesecake.

Walking to the table where he saw the bald head of Matsuda, Issei took notice of the skimpy maid outfits that made this their designated fuel up stop before they headed to wherever they had in mind. One of the maids in particular caught his attention, she looked like she would be a better fit on a runway as a model than working here.

The short, low-cut bright pink and white outfit was straining to contain her ample cleavage, and long toned legs. Issei almost walked into a support beam in the walkway from not being able to tear his eyes away. Luckily the voice of his friends calling for him pulled his attention just before he embarrassed himself.

"Ise!" Matsuda and Motohama called out at the same time, seeing their friend staring at the same girl they had when they arrived.

Issei took his seat at the four seat table and greeted his friends.

"Hey guys, long time no see." He said with a light hearted smile, genuinely happy to see them again.

After ordering some food and small talk, Motohama stopped ogling the Model waitress.

"So tell us Ise…Is Kuoh Academy the promised land we dreamed it would be?" Motohama asked, pushing his glasses back into place, making them gleam from the bright lights above.

Issei immediately thought of all the top notch beauties he's seen in only one week of being enrolled at the school, and his face split into a wide grin.

"You guys have no idea…"

There was a brief silence between the three, before they yelled in anger and jealousy, and then smashed their fists into Issei's face making his chair fall back onto the floor.

 **-LineBreak-**

Back in Kuoh, Sona was pacing around the student council office, biting the nail of her thumb.

Tsubaki had come in to assist with any last minute duties that might have come up, and hadn't expected the scene she walked into. Never had she seen Sona look so worked up before, and couldn't even get a response from the Sitri heiress.

Their were no ongoing problems that Tsubaki could think of that would bring this about, so it had to be something that came up this morning. 'But what is it?' She thought.

After a few dozen more laps around the room, Sona was suddenly stopped in place by a hand placed on each shoulder. Looking up from the floor, Sona saw that it was her queen and one of her best friends, and blew out a sigh to try and calm herself down.

"Kaichou, what's got you so worked up?" Tsubaki asked

Sona made herself sit down in her desk chair, the place she sat whenever she needed to think her problems through.

With another sigh, Sona met Tsubaki's expectant gaze. But when she wanted the words to come, Sona felt a sudden lump in her throat and tears try to make themselves to her eyes.

"I can't feel Issei…" She tried her best to swallow the lump down, forcing her emotions under her control.

It wasn't like her to lose control of herself, but she couldn't help it. The only reason she knew of for the link to her evil pieces to be cut, was for the host to have been killed.

She had just arrived at her office when her link to him was suddenly cut off. There was no spike to indicate that he was in trouble or pain, it was just….gone. Like he vanished off the face of the earth.

If Issei truly was dead, than it was more than likely her fault. She had been the one to reincarnate him, so if he unknowingly wandered into church or fallen territory…she honestly didn't want to think of what could have happened.

"The link went silent about two hours ago. I can't feel anything, no emotion, no sensation….nothing."

Tsubaki's eyes widened slightly at what she heard. Instead of losing herself to the same worry that her king was, she immediately tried to think of a solution.

"Have you contacted his family or his two friends?"

Sona shook her head no.

"I've been waiting to see if the link comes back."

Tsubaki walked over to the file cabinet, looking for the Hyoudou folder to get his home phone number, as well as the ones for his two friends Murayama and Katase.

Once she had them set on the desk, she paused as she reached for the phone.

"Do you want me to call in the others?"

Sona had her forehead resting against her interlaced fingers, and nodded.

 **-LineBreak-**

All in all, Issei thought the day with his friends was going well. He had successfully brought his friends into a jealous rage when they found out that he was pretty much surrounded by girls that could easily be future supermodels.

And the look on their faces when he said he needed to buy a birthday present for one of them brought on more questions about said girl.

When he said that Katase's birthday was the same weekend that she'd be staying over at his house, they had looks of pure murderous jealousy. They demanded to see pictures of the girl that he'd be in close proximity to overnight, he could feel the heat from their eyes when he showed the picture his mom took of them at the beach.

It was a picture of him with both Murayama and Katase. They were each in a bikini, Katase's was black and purple, while Murayama's was a bright yellow.

Motohama took to scanning their sizes right away, and deemed that while Murayama had the greater assets overall, Katase's proportions were nearly in perfect balance, and therefor unable to determine which girl was better. His head nearly exploded from the indecision.

When they were in the shop for Motohama to buy his Gundam figure, Issei struck up a conversation with a girl that had been buying the same one. At first she had seemed incredibly cold and serious when he approached her, but it hadn't phased Issei in the slightest, having been shown the same treatment for years from basically the entirety of the female gender before high school.

After he asked her about which ones would be a good starting place if he were looking to build his first figures, her pink eyes light up, as she went into an excited rant about the intricacies of building and painting.

Issei ended up buying two of the ones that the girl, Seekvaira something or other had recommended for beginning builders. They walked around the store talking about their mutual anime interests while Issei waited for Motohama to finish getting his supplies.

She had asked Issei about his bracelet when he reached up to grab an instructional book of painting figures that she told him would be helpful in learning which pieces to start with. Issei noticed that Seekvaira had a strange look in her eyes as she stared at it, almost like she recognized something on it.

Once they left that shop, there was only one more place that they wanted to check out, the new 'gentleman goods' store that had opened up. While they walked, Issei tried to talk to Elsha and Ddraig, both of which were either ignoring him or asleep still, which seemed odd with how late in the day it was becoming.

 **-LineBreak-**

Sona sat at her desk, with her peerage, and Katase and Murayama in the room with her. A map of the town on the desk with markers on points of interest.

The group had gathered quickly after Tsubaki had called the Hyoudou home to see if they knew were Issei was. Unfortunately, they had no idea what his plans for the day were.

So they were all gathered to try and narrow down the possibilities of where he had gone.

Momo and Reya were sitting next to each other, the concern clear on their faces.

Yura and Tomoe were had just left to check the shopping area of the town.

Tsubaki was next to her king waiting for further orders.

Katase and Murayama had been trying to call Issei's cellphone, which no matter how many times they called would go straight to voicemail. So it was either dead, or had no signal wherever he was.

Katase closed her phone and slumped onto the couch on the edge of the room, no longer able to hold it back, she started crying.

Murayama was quickly by her side, rubbing her back, trying to hold herself together as best she could. She pulled Katase into a hug and stroked her hair to try and calm her friend down.

"Kaori…He's not dead…right?" Katase asked in between sobs, as she had her arms wrapped around herself, leaning onto Murayama's shoulder.

Murayama couldn't bring herself to even answer, afraid that she would lose control and start crying herself.

They had checked all over town, no one had seen Issei at the spots that the kendo girls said he liked to frequent. The sun would be setting soon, and if they didn't find or hear from him soon, Sona would have to make a decision.

Either label him as dead, or as a stray.

 **-LineBreak-**

Issei had just walked into his front yard, and noticed that his phone had been turned off all day. Pressing the power button, he turned the handle and walked inside.

"ISE!"

Issei was immediately pulled into the tightest hug he'd ever felt from his mother, her wet hands wrapping themselves around the back of his head.

When the hug didn't let up after 10 seconds, he knew something was wrong. pulling himself away from his mother, he looked her in the eyes.

"Mom, whats wrong?"

She wiped her eyes with her sleeve, the first dry thing that she could think of.

After the student council had called, Mrs. Hyoudou had called Katase to see if she had heard from her son. When Katase had said 'No', a huge spike of worry flooded her body. If the student council had been trying to get a hold of him, and wasn't able to, her first guess was that he was absorbed in something with his two 'girlfriends' as she liked to call them.

Then she tried calling him herself, and when the 10th call hadn't gone through, she broke down. Calling her husband to leave work and start searching the town.

And now…here he was….safe and sound.

Before she could answer her son, about the fact that nearly all of his friends were looking for him, his phone started ringing in his hand.

Looking at the screen, Issei saw that not only was there an incoming call…but also 37 missed calls.

'Uh, Oh…' He thought.

pressing the button to answer the call, Issei brought the phone to his ear.

"Hello?"

 **END**

 **been a bit eh? next chapter shouldn't be too long till its out. LATER!**


	11. Dragon Jewelry

Inside of the student council office, Murayama took her phone out, deciding to give it one more shot.

Katase's sobs had died down for the moment, giving her the personal space to reach into her bag and try calling Issei again.

The screen lit up, and she clicked on the call icon, immediately seeing his number as the last one dialed….as well as the previous 8 calls.

She felt the unease rise up again as she pressed the call button, expecting it to go directly to voicemail.

Once she heard it ringing, meaning that it was actually connecting, a surge of emotion came through her. It must have shown on her face, based on the curious gazes from Momo and Reya.

Sadness, worry, hope, anger. The emotions pulsed through her too quickly to properly tell which one was being felt at any particular time.

As she heard the tell tale click of someone answering the phone, the more prominent feeling was anger.

How dare he keep them worried about him for hours on end!

 _hello?_

She heard Issei say weakly from the other end, and she just about exploded in rage.

Murayama stood up from her seat, arm flinging out in rage as she yelled at the boy who had the nerve to make her worry so much.

"Ise! Where the _hell_ have you been? We've been trying to get a hold of you for hours!"

As soon as Murayama stood up, Katase cast her tear stricken gaze to her brunette friend. And her eyes nearly bulged out of her head once she heard her romantic interests name.

 _I was out with Matsuda and Motohama, and forgot to turn my phone on. Did something happen?_

And now the situation made a little bit more sense to Murayama. Anytime that Ise had hung out with his two perv-buddies, it was like they were off in their own little world of debauchery.

A lot of people criticize the new generation for their dependence on cell phones, but those three would basically ignore the things when they were together. Well, that, and Ise could be quite an air head when his mind is focused on something.

" *Sigh* Well that explains the phone at least. The vice president said something about your 'link' being cut off. We got worried when we couldn't find or get in contact with you."

Murayama pinched the bridge of her nose, while the others simply stared at her. The devils in the room could hear what Ise was saying thanks to their enhanced senses. Since Katase couldn't, she was the only one left not knowing the entirety of what was being said. She got the message that Ise was fine, stiffly stood up, wiped the tear stains from her face and marched out the door.

 _Hmm, so that's what feels different…. I appreciate you all being worried for me, but could you please not freak out my mom like that. She hasn't let go of me since I walked in the door._

That was an image that made Murayama chuckle. She'd seen what a worried Mrs. Hyoudou was like once before.

After the chairwoman incident, her and Katase had been more aggressive in their daily training. When Issei walked in sporting a few nasty bruises, his mother had dropped dishes she was carrying and sprinted over to him, and tried to smother him to death.

At the time, Issei had been shocked still. Apparently that was the first time in _years_ she had offered him anything other than admonishments for his ungentlemanly behavior, or short and neutral conversation.

Her and Katase watched from the doorway with a strange curiosity as Issei started to show tears on the corners of his eyes. When he slowly reached his arms around his mother and tightened, the two started to see the larger picture of who Issei Hyoudou was.

"Right, sorry about that. We just thought maybe she knew where you were. And just a heads up, we're coming over, Yui already stormed out….So I hope your ready."

Murayama looked up to see Momo and Reya both looking towards Sona, a silent conversation seemingly being held.

When Sona met the gaze of her bishops, she knew what they wanted, to go see Issei. She wanted to see him as well, and find out what was causing her to lose the connection through the evil pieces. When she gave a slight nod, the two bishops gave a bright smile and packed up their school work.

 _Shit! Mom, I need to hide this! Katase can't see it! Alright Kaori, i'll see you in a bit._

Murayama rose an eyebrow at what she heard before the line went dead.

'What does he need to hide? and from Yui specifically…Did he remember her birthday?'

Placing her phone back into her bag, Murayama turned towards Sona, who was placing the paper work in a file to be dealt with later.

"Issei went out with his two friends from middle school, sounds like he just got home."

Sona nodded towards the brunette, a small smile on her face at hearing that her new servant was safe and sound. That smile reversed as she pondered on just why she couldn't feel his presence anymore, she hadn't felt normal since the link was cut.

"Thank you. We'll be heading over there as well, I need to find out why I can't feel his pieces anymore."

Smiles took over the face of the bishops and the kendo user as they all made their way towards the Hyoudou household.

 **-LineBreak-**

Finally getting his mother to release him from the death hug, he sprinted around the house, trying to find a spot where he could successfully hide the bag that held Katase's gift.

He was a little worried that she wouldn't like it, but jewelry was pretty much out of the question, she wasn't much of a _girly girl._ So when he caught the smell of perfume that was almost an exact match to what he associated with his pink haired friend, he felt this small bottle would suffice.

His anxiety was rising as the minutes passed, Katase and Murayama had free reign when they came over, so the spots that he could hide the present were almost non-existent. It needed to stay hidden for another few weeks.

"Mom, where can I put this so they don't find it?" Issei called out down the hallway to his mother.

Mrs. Hyoudou stepped into the hall, her index finger tapping her bottom lip in contemplation. A figurative lightbulb went off above her head. Her head turned towards him as she pointed behind Issei.

"In my bedroom closet, theres a wooden chest on the floor with some family heirlooms, it should be safe in there."

Issei thought about it for a moment, before shaking his head and walking towards his mother.

"Could you put it in there then? I don't need to see something that might scar me for life."

He raised his hand to give the bag to his mother, who at the moment, had a disapproving look on her.

One of Mrs. Hyoudou's hands took the bag, while the other poked her son on the forehead.

"And just what does my deviant son think he'll find in there?"

With the almost non-existent distance between mother and son, Issei caught the scent of sugar and strawberry. Probably from whatever she had been baking when he came home.

"I'd rather never find out just how far the apple falls from the tree." He said with a shake of his head, and walked towards the stairs to prepare for the incoming guests.

Coming to sit in the living room, Issei's mind was going over his day, and the differences he could now feel.

Something didn't seem right.

After waking up from being turned into a devil/dragon, his sense of smell had seemed to be in overdrive. He had been bombarded with smells constantly for the last few days.

But not today.

He had gone through the day with Matsuda and Motohoma just like any other outing he had previously. That may have been a blessing though, going to such a crowded area might have been too much to handle at the moment.

But that begged the question…Why isn't he picking up scents from a distance anymore. He had only really noticed it, when he could smell the sugar and fruit on his mother when she stepped close to him.

While lost in thought, Issei didn't see his mother walk back towards the door, nor the multiple voices coming from the entryway.

The quiet sound of a crowd of footsteps reached his ears, but didn't bring him back to the world.

'Is my body still adjusting? Is the sense not being registered by my brain completely yet?'

His eyes having a thousand yard stare, one hand scratched at the back of his head. The new arrivals came into the room un-noticed.

Then there was the fact of his two mental residents. They hadn't so much as uttered a word to him all day, which hadn't happened since he became aware of them. Something was definitely wrong here.

'But that wouldn't explain why I can't feel the link to Kaichou anymore…what's going on?'

The couch he was on shifted from new weight, his mind was slowly peeling itself out of his own internal pondering, when a stinging sensation struck his left ear.

Issei quickly shifted his head towards the direction of his pain, while grabbing his earlobe with one hand. And was met with the pink eyes of a clearly emotional Yui Katase.

The same phrase that ran through his mind when he saw all of the missed calls on his cell phone returned.

 _uh oh_

Eyes that were still slightly bloodshot from crying, cheeks tinted pink in either unreleased fury or she had smacked her cheeks a few times to collect herself. Katase had an air about her at the moment as her eyes locked onto his, it all but screamed that he needed to make amends for making her worry about him all day.

Issei swallowed the nervous lump in his throat, when his eye caught movement at the doorway.

He had expected to see Murayama and Katase after coming back from his little excursion. Possibly even Sona after the link being cut off had been mentioned. But no, here standing in his living room were 8 of some of the best looking girls he'd ever come across.

Katase sitting next to him on the couch, Murayama standing just behind her. Sona was sitting down in the love seat across from him, and the rest of her peerage, Tsubaki Yura Momo Reya and Tomoe, all standing behind her.

The brief thought of taking a picture of all of them gathered in his home, to use to rub in Matsuda and Motohoma's faces crossed his mind. The longer he thought about it, the more he liked the idea.

Shifting his eyes over each of his guests, Issei gave what he hoped to be a disarming smile. His left raising in a slight wave, the light in the room caught the bracelet and made it shine for a brief moment.

"Evening ladies."

Issei could see Katase and Murayama both scowl at him, not amused in the least.

His fellow devils however, had a look of wariness, Momo and Reya especially. Sona and Tsubaki were the most composed.

"If you thought you were getting out of worrying us so easily, you've got another thing coming!" Katase scolded, grabbing his attention.

Murayama crossed her arms under her chest, nodding in agreement.

"Yea, seriously Ise! Is it so hard to turn your phone on? Or you could have just let us know you were going to be out for the day, that way we at least wouldn't have wasted the day."

During Murayama's tirade, Sona had gotten up from her seat and walked towards her pawn.

Kneeling down in front of him, Katase and Murayama went silent and rose an eyebrow at the violet eyed devils action.

Sona's hands hesitantly rose and grabbed Issei's left arm by the hand and forearm, carefully making sure not to touch the bracelet.

Everyone watched as the Sitri Heiress' attention was solely on the black and gold jewelry, as she took in every detail.

"Issei." Her stoic, analytical, almost cold voice made him feel like he was a toddler caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"Where did you get this?"

Suddenly nervous about answering his king, his voice wavered a little. The way she was looking between him and the bracelet, it was like she had just gained some clue to some mystery.

"U-um…It was a gift. My friend and her dad gave it to me years ago, just before they moved. He said it would keep me hidden from the monsters of the world, and I should never take it off. I found it in my room this morning." The urge to rub at the back of his head was almost too hard to ignore, with the nervous feeling he was getting.

"So, that's how it happened…" Sona whispered, quiet enough that only Issei caught it.

The hand she had on his forearm slowly moved to touch the bracelet, the slight shaking in her hand making it appear as if she were afraid to touch it.

Her index finger came into contact with the cool metal, a small almost imperceptible flinch came from the hand, but she didn't pull away.

She ran her finger over it, testing the reaction. Then the rest of her fingers, ignoring the confused glances from Issei and the rest of the girls.

Sona spun the bracelet around, finding the clasp, and took her other hand that was holding Issei's, and moved both to take the bracelet off.

She paused to take a breath in, unsure of what was about to happen. As she unclipped the bracelet, Issei's mother was walking into the room.

With her index finger and thumb of her right hand holding onto the bracelet as it slid off of his wrist, a slightly stronger surge of a dragons presence flooded the room.

Sona was somewhat prepared, and bit on the inside of her cheek to keep herself in check. The others however, hadn't known what was going on, and thus unprepared for the flood that was released.

Having been at a distance the last time this happened, Katase and Murayama were now up close and personal to the dragon energy Issei was emitting.

Their eyes widened, hearts beat just a bit harder and quicker as a warm sensation permeated their bodies. To their normal human senses, it felt like they just sat in a comfortably hot pool of water. And that pool was swirling, trying to pull them closer to Issei.

For the devils, it was a much more… _intimate_ feeling.

It was as if the pinnacle of ecstasy had been raised several fold. Never had any of them felt anything like it. When Issei had been reincarnated, it was potent. The strength they could feel in his presence was a bit stronger, but the intensity of the effect it had on them was greater then the last time.

The only ones to keep their vocal cords from responding were, unsurprisingly, Sona and Tsubaki. But the pink dusted across their faces said that they felt it as well. Sona looked like her head was trying hard to spin from her link being reconnected, the feeling of a powerful undertow coming over her again.

The most surprising, and worrisome reaction, came from the maternal figure of the one that they came to question.

Mrs. Hyoudou had just walked across the threshold to the living room to bring some snacks for the friends of her beloved son. When it felt like her heart had swelled four times its normal size. A tingling sensation radiated from her heart to the rest of her body, followed by a loss of coordination and exhaustion.

She dropped the tray, falling sideways to the floor, her head smacked against the hardwood floor beneath her.

Seeing his mother collapse to the floor only a few feet from him, Issei ignored everything else in front of him, and shot out of the couch and nearly sent Sona on her back in surprise.

"MOM!"

Issei slid on his knees, reaching his mother, and brought her into a half sitting position, one hand on the back of her head, and the other around her waist the only thing keeping her upright.

With her body void of energy and head feeling heavy, Mrs. Hyoudou looked up with her dazed eyes, catching the worried look her son had. A lazy smile came to her lips as she rubbed the arm of her son that had wrapped around her waist to steady her.

"I'm alright Ise. Just…a little tingly, and….tired…" Her sentence trailed off as her eyes slowly closed, her head slumping forward towards her chest.

Issei put a hand in front of her mouth, feeling for a breath. Then the hand went to her neck for a pulse. With both seeming to be somewhat normal, Issei gave a breath of relief.

"She passed out." Issei said, not turning towards the girls in his house.

Katase and Murayama were almost as tense as Issei was. Reason being, Mrs. Hyoudou had been like a perfect mother figure to both of them. She was kind, compassionate, empathetic, and more than willing to listen or help with any issues either of them had. She was the embodiment of what both of them lacked.

They each walked over to the mother son duo, Murayama kneeling next to Issei, rubbing his back to soothe his concern. Katase to ease her own worries of the mother figure unconscious in front of her.

"Ise, why don't you bring her up to bed?" Murayama's soft voice called out to him.

He heard the words, subconsciously acknowledged them, but they didn't really sink in. Only the thoughts of making sure that the woman that gave birth to him was ok were in his head.

He turned his body to the side as his arms caught his mother, one arm just under hers, the other scooped her up beneath the knees. Issei easily picked her up and started walking towards the stairs to place his mother into bed.

 **-LineBreak-**

With Issei out of sight, and presumably out of hearing range, it was Murayama that seemed the more upset of the human girls.

"What just happened?" Her voice held a colder tone than she had used in a long time. Usually, it was Katase that was the agressive one. But for someone she considered to be family, all bets were off.

Sona had stood and watched in silence as the three had taken care of the older woman. There were no peace offerings to be had here. Nothing that she could say or do that would take away her actions. The humans, or recent humans in their presence may not have understood what the possible ramifications were of what just happened, but the effects were felt all around. The fact that her pawns mother had responded in such a way however….That was odd, and definitely something to look into after all was said and done.

Sona straightened her posture, locking eyes with Murayama.

"I apologize for what my actions have caused, however unintentional. To potentially bring a normal human with no supernatural knowledge into harms way was not my desire."

Sona slightly bowed her head down, the most curtesy she felt she could stomach as a pure bred, high-class devil speaking to a human.

"I shall say the same to Issei when he returns. My thoughts have not been as clear and focused as they normally are, given todays events. And what I just saw…. While it does not excuse my actions, it made me lose focus."

Sona's response had cooed the kendo girls a sufficient amount. But it had also raised a spark of curiosity throughout the entire group. They all saw the way that Sona had reacted to Issei's bracelet, heard his explanation of how he got it. But only now were they really thinking that the piece of jewelry may be more than it appeared.

"And what exactly is it, that you saw?" Katase murmured quietly, but loud enough for the supernaturally enhanced to easily pick up.

Sona shifted her gaze to the pink haired friend of her curious pawn.

"Once Issei returns, we'll find out more."

Her eyes gazing towards the bracelet in her hand as she spoke.

 **-LineBreak-**

Issei had just laid his mother down into her bed, and covered her up with the blanket. The anxiety he felt had fallen a fair amount, enough to gather rational thought. It was only now that he realized that all his senses were back to where they were the day before.

With the bedroom door closed, there was only a murmur of the voices from downstairs that his enhanced hearing picked up.

His sense of smell had picked up the smell of strawberries, with an undertone of sugar and….something else, that he found relaxing. He was glad that things seemed to be returning to what was to be his normal state.

and that was when his head felt like it would explode.

 _"Ise! Finally! For a teenage boy living in the blooming age of technology, you sure are hard to reach."_

 **[Partner. How did you shut us out like that?]**

The voices of both Ddraig and Elsha caught him off guard. He hadn't heard them all day, so when they finally spoke up, it felt louder than it normally would.

'What the hell happened to you two? I tried talking to you, but you ignored me.'

Issei stated his retorts to them as he tucked his mother in, and brushed her long brown locks out of her eyes.

There was a brief silence between the three, Issei only waiting for a proper response from either Ddraig or Elsha. He didn't have to wait for long fortunately.

 _"Ise. When we woke up, everything was hazy, only brief images and sounds would come through. It was almost like I was in the process of being awoken for the first time all over again."_

While Elsha was calm and deliberate with her words. Ddraig was more direct.

 **[Partner. I know your new to this new world you've entered, but what happened today?]**

The Welsh Dragons sentence struck a chord of similarity with Issei. _Something_ had changed today that caused all of this. And thinking everything over, there was only one possible cause.

'The bracelet.' He thought, which did nothing to clarify the situation.

Issei rechecked his mothers position, hand once more brushing over her forehead. He had no medical training, but it just felt right to feel and see if she had spiked a fever.

When she collapsed, he experienced an anxiety like never before. He wasn't entirely sure if it was from his new set of instincts, or just the familial love and care he held for her. Whatever it was, all he wanted at that point and time was to make sure that she was safe and healthy.

With nothing else he felt he could do for the time being, he stood and started to walk back down to the girls.

'I think I know what caused it. But i'm not really sure how or why.' Issei relayed to Ddraig and Elsha.

 **-LineBreak-**

Coming back down the stairs, Issei saw that all of his guests were seated.

Murayama and Katase were on the couch, Momo and Reya had somehow fit in with them.

Sona was once again in the love seat, Tsubaki standing behind and slightly to the right.

Tomoe and Yura was sitting cross legged on the floor on either side of the love seat.

The atmosphere felt a little tense, whether the cause from the day in general, or the events just prior was unknown.

Coming down to the landing, Issei felt all eyes latch themselves onto him.

He took a few more steps forward before stopping, and set his gaze to Sona.

"Kaichou. I can feel our link again, can you?"

As the words reached her ears, that pleasant, warm sensation came over her again. Reminding her that yes, she could feel her pawn. Outside of the nervous feeling he had, everything seemed fine.

"Yes Issei, the link has been reestablished."

Sona adjusted the glasses from falling down too far, crossing one leg over the other.

"Before anything else, I wish to apologize Issei. I meant no harm to your mother."

Issei waved it off, knowing that she didn't mean for anything like that to happen.

"No worries Kaichou, it was an accident, and Mom seems to be okay."

"Thank you. Now that the immediate issue has been resolved, I need to ask. Issei, do you have any idea what this bracelet is?"

Sona raised the hand holding onto the black and gold links.

Issei shook his head.

"Other than what I said earlier, no. But now i'm guessing its nothing ordinary, right?"

With the neutral look still on her face, Sona's eyes shifted over to the bracelet she was holding up.

"This bracelet is anything but ordinary, and the circumstances of it being given to you, raises more questions than it gives answers."

Sona placed the bracelet down on the arm rest of the chair, resuming her explanation.

" I told you the story between the three factions and the heavenly dragons. But those two were not the only dragons to have come in contact with devils, angels, or fallen angels."

With the Sitri Heiress going into 'lecture mode' as her peerage called it, they all gave her their undivided attention.

"The tier below the heavenly dragons, is the dragon kings, who hold power that rivals the leaders of each of the biblical factions. One of these Dragon Kings is Fafnir, the Gigantis Dragon."

As issei intently listened, he could here Elsha mumble quietly in his head.

 _"Ah, yes, that's what feels familiar…"_

Ignoring her comment, he kept listening to Sona.

"Fafnir is said to be somewhat of a wanderer, collecting treasure and artifacts that catch his fancy. Legend has it that on one of Fafnir's outings, his presence had angered an old Norse warrior, Siegfried. Siegfried was the wielder of the Demonic sword Gram, and managed to slay Fafnir. For one reason or another, the Norse gods revived him at a later date."

 _"Yea…Odin revived him in exchange for some gold jewelry to get his wife to forgive him for hitting on the valkyries."_ Elsha's amused tone caught Issei off guard, and almost snorted trying to hold the laughter in.

"After his revival, Fafnir sought the help of the Norse and Angels to create a piece of jewelry from his collection that could conceal his presence in a human form. They crafted a bracelet that would do just that. It was able to completely hide the dragons presence to appear human."

Sona placed the bracelet in her palm, staring at it as she switched gears.

"Tell me Issei, how often did you wear this after it was given to you?"

The sudden question caught him off guard, his eyes shifted upwards with a hand on his chin as he thought about it, trying to recall the time after his friend had moved away.

"Well….I'm pretty sure I almost never took it off for the first year. After that, i'd put it on every once in a while, then lost track of it in middle school."

Sona nodded meaningfully.

On the couch, Momo's eyes widened as realization struck.

"So that's how that holy spark got there…"

All eyes turned towards the bishop, everyone except Sona looked confused, but the King looked a bit put off that a member of her peerage had suspected a holy aspect and failed to inform her.

"You knew it was there Momo?"

Momo turned apologetic, tapping her index fingers together.

"Sorry Kaichou. I felt it when Ise was reincarnated, and thought the holy energy was what caused him all that pain. When Elsha said that wasn't the case, I thought that maybe I was just imagining things."

Issei stepped forward with a hand raised.

"Kaichou, i'm a little confused. What holy spark?"

Turning from her bishop to her pawn, Sona gave her hypothesis.

"Because the bracelet was partly created by the angel faction, it was imbued with holy energy. I believe that, because of how long you wore it, that holy energy was absorbed into your body. When I tested your magic the other day, I saw it, but had no explanation as to why or how it was there."

Issei scratched the back of his head with a confused look.

"Shouldn't that hurt me, since I'm a devil?"

Sona shook her head.

"if either energies had been forced into you, then they very well may have clashed and hurt you. But your soul welcomed each of them willingly."

A brief silence overtook them, before Tsubaki spoke.

"Kaichou, does this mean he will be able to harness that holy energy?"

"I'm honestly not sure. The energy was solely for the purpose of protection and concealment, and it is an extremely small amount, therefore I believe harnessing it is unlikely. If anything, it may give him a slight tolerance towards holy objects."

Issei stood next to the couch, taking in all the information, but had one burning question remaining.

"Kaichou, why did my mom react like that when you took off the bracelet?"

There was a notable uncomfortable feeling through a few of the devil girls, only Momo squirmed a bit in her seat, while Sona and Tsubaki remained the same.

"That was the result of your dragon energy inside of you being suppressed, and then released all at once." Sona stated, switching which leg was crossed over the other, and entering 'lecture mode' once again.

"Dragons have a unique trait to them that draws others, specifically from the opposite sex. The effect is felt more from those of supernatural origin due to our enhanced senses. Humans are able to feel it if the energy is strong enough, such as the release of when the bracelet was taken off. However, your mothers reaction could have been effected based on other factors."

Sona took a moment to form the right words in her mind, the next part of her conversation could take a turn for the extremely uncomfortable very quickly.

"the feeling one experiences from being exposed to that energy is effected by how they feel towards the source. Think of it like a damn in a river, that lets a small trickle flow through while in place. If the damn were to break, the flood of energy could have any number of responses. The other possibility is if your mother possesses a dragon tamers trait, very little is known about the specifics of it. But it has been noted that those with it, are more in tune with a dragons energy."

Issei mulled over the information given. There was a brief moment where his mind slipped into old habits.

Katase and Murayama watched as Issei's face gained an unmistakably lecherous look, one that they knew all too well.

'wait….So I can be like a supernatural babe magnet?! THATS AWESOME! I'm definitely going to work on using that trick, heh heh.' But Elsha was quick to reign him in.

 _'Ise dear, women are good on picking up the intentions of men, it wouldn't work the way you're thinking if they suspected you're only trying to seduce them. What she's saying is that lust and love amplify the effects. Especially women affiliated with the supernatural. Trust me on this.'_

'Love? Well then that explains it. I mean, she's my mom, of course she loves me.'

Instead of clarifying what it was that Sona had been potentially implying, Ddraig opted to give his own opinion.

 **[I believe it may be a mixture of both. While not strong enough to be an active dragon tamer, her presence was more agreeable than most humans.]**

 **-LineBreak-**

The conversation afterwards had slimmed down. Sona briefly inquiring about Issei's training progress, and then into unimportant small talk.

Issei had actually held a small conversation with Yura and Tomoe, wanting to get to know them a bit, since they hadn't really had the opportunity yet.

He found that he like both of them, Yura was easy to talk to, very calm overall. She had a fondness for physical activity that made him want to ask her to train with him.

Tomoe had been the quietest of the peerage as far as he'd seen, but once he actually got to talk to her, she was by far the most energetic. It was almost like she had a switch to go from a loyal silent knight, into a bouncing happy teenage girl. In Issei's opinion….It made no sense.

He had forgotten to ask if his father had been notified that he was home now, so he called him. Based on the panic on the other end of the phone, he guessed that his dad hadn't been told. So he quickly made his way home.

And once the paternal Hyoudou set foot in his home, he had to do a double take at what he saw.

His son, the well known pervert of the town who had been on the mend, was surrounded by girls, all of whom seemed to actually like his company. He couldn't be more proud at that moment.

The sun had long set when the Sitri peerage decided to head home, however reluctant the two Bishops may have been, after hearing that the Kendo Duo would stay over for the night.

 **-LineBreak-**

"Elsha, why did the astral projection training suddenly seem so important?"

Issei sat cross legged in front of Elsha in her garden. She had told him, that other than training his fire, the astral projection would take precedence over everything else. Once he could project an image of himself and Elsha simultaneously for at least 5 minutes, then they would resume his regular training. But she never explained why.

"You don't want to learn it?" She asked with a curious tilt of her head.

Issei gave a defensive wave of his hands.

"I do I do!"

Elsha granted him a smile, and held onto his hands with hers. As she closed her eyes, Issei interrupted the process of starting the projection.

"I'm just curious is all. It sounds like a cool thing to be able to do. But shouldn't I be training to help Kaichou and Rias Gremory?"

Even with being spoken to, Elsha hadn't let go of his hands, or opened her eyes. Instead she initiated the astral projection.

Issei felt a sense of brief vertigo, his vision darkening before seeing the setting of his bedroom come into view.

He could see himself laying in bed, which felt really strange to be looking at himself.

He looked down to his hands, which were fairly transparent, and still being held by Elsha.

Issei looked up to her, to see that she was just as transparent as he was. Elsha was looking towards the door curiously, almost like she was waiting for something.

The feeling of vertigo was slowly starting to build again, the outer rim of his vision slowly darkening.

Just before he couldn't hold onto their projection anymore, he could have sworn he saw his door slowly creak open.

His vision went completely dark for a brief moment, before he was back in Elsha's garden once again.

As he opened his eyes again, he saw the smiling visage of his mentor. Her thumbs gave caressed a brief circle against the back of his own before letting go.

"I'd say that's a good improvement, you went from 5 seconds on your first try, to 12."

Issei frowned at the remark. It didn't sound like a good improvement, when she wanted him to get to five minutes until they moved on. But doing over double the initial time with the dual astral projection was at least something.

"But it's nowhere near what I need to move on to the other training."

Issei's self deprecating statement had brought a rare sight to Elsha's beautiful face. A frown.

Her right hand rose with her fingers straight and seemed to be tensed, as if to hold their position.

Then her hand descended quickly onto the middle of his frontal lobe.

"The fact that you could even do it at all the first time was a miracle."

Elsha scolded his self-loathing statement after delivering a chop to his head.

Her blue and green eyes softened as they locked onto his. Her hands raised themselves to hold onto his cheeks. Her tone was soft and reassuring when he met her gaze.

"You've been thrust into a world of things you had never even thought existed, you've taken this all so well. Stop selling yourself short. I know it's hard for you to tell the difference, but you're almost twice as strong as you were when Sona Sitri reincarnated you. If you keep this pace up, with the training that is planned for you…. That Phenex will kneel before you, and your friends and family will be safe once any potential enemies know it is you that protects them."

Her tone was reassuring, if someone who was one of the strongest red dragons said that he was making good progress, then he'd take it at that. Besides, how was he supposed to really know how much progress someone should be able to make in a week.

Elsha looked up for a brief moment, towards the sky, just like she had the first time they met. There was a quick look that crossed her face that Issei couldn't really name. But just as soon as it came, it quickly left.

She gave her student her full attention once more.

"I wanted you to be proficient with astral projection because of the challenge presented to you, this rating game. The Red Dragons destructive powers are something truly formidable, with training and practice, there will be few that can stand against you. But if you were to add the element of surprise as well…. And that numbers dwindles down even further."

Her serious tone quickly turned a mix of playful and mischievous.

"There's also a selfish one thrown in there too… but that ones a surprise for now."

 **-LineBreak-**

The last day of his weekend was spent in his now normal routine. A run in the morning, come back for breakfast with his parents. His father started to bombard Issei with questions about all the girls that had come over the night previous.

seemed to deflate when he heard that it was just the members of the student council from school.

Issei decided that he would take it easy before returning to school, just relaxing around the house.

There was something strange he noticed as he and his parents watched a movie together.

His mother had lost that smell of strawberries and sugar, when she had been baking before. That subtle smell of some sort of fruit he couldn't name was still there, just within the range of being able to be sensed by him.

But the thing he found strange, was the scent from his father.

Or the lack thereof.

Issei had quickly come to relate the scents of the people around him with some aspect of their personality, a unique trait, or an ability.

But his father was like the masses of his school, a scentless bar of soap. Apparently being just as he appeared, a normal average guy.

 **-LineBreak-**

Issei would be eternally grateful that his life seemed to fall into a routine once again. Coming to Kuoh Academy had brought so much change so quickly, that he wondered if he could have kept up in class if it continued.

It took some adjusting, but it was easy enough to get the swing of things.

Wake up. Run. Breakfast. Get to school, get attack hugged by Momo before class. Lunch with Yui and Kaori. Walk with Momo and Reya to the student council, check to see if Sona had anything for him to do. Get the shit beat out of him at kendo. Dinner. Training. Repeat.

The first alteration to this plan came from Sona. She felt that it was due time for Issei to get some on the job training of making a contract.

The normal way for a devil to be summoned was usually through a magic transportation circle. But as Sona had explained after a failed attempt, Issei's body was lacking in demonic power. His strength came from his dragon side.

So normal human transportation was his only way to get to the address.

At least he was out of the room from Tomoe laughing at his misfortune.

The bike ride brought him to a small single story house, the curtains closed and looking old and weathered.

Laying his bike against the inside of the fence, Issei walked up to the door and rang the doorbell.

In the late afternoon sun, Issei could see the curtains to his right shift slightly, the person inside peeking through to look for the visitor.

A few moments later, the sound of multiple locks being undone on the inside latch of the door could be heard, and the door slowly creaked open.

Opened just enough to fit a head through, a young man in his early 20's with dark brown almost black hair that was shaved down peeked through, dark blue eyes regarding Issei with caution.

"Who are you, what do you want?" The timid voice of the man hadn't been was Issei was expecting, but answered politely.

"Sorry i'm a bit late, but I couldn't use the normal flashy way to get here."

The man looked at Issei speculatively before asking.

"You're the devil?"

Issei chuckled and scratched at the back of his head.

"One of many, but yea. And i'm here to grant your request for a suitable price."

After a few moments of silence, the young man unlocked the door and led Issei into what appeared to be a kids room, and introduced himself as Hedwig.

Whatever Issei had been expecting as his first contract job, this definitely wasn't it. All Hedwig wanted was to listen to music and play some games, and the device that Sona gave him to calculate the price had said all he would receive in the end of it was a comic book.

Hedwig went as pale a ghost, and hesitantly went to the desk in his room, grabbed what appeared to be the only comic book in the place and held it out to Issei.

3 hours of repetitive techno music and 17 rounds in Soul caliber later, Issei made his way out with his prize, and the pride of having completed his first contract.

His ride back home was spent listening to Ddraig and Elsha say how weird the way he acted was. It was like Hedwig was mentally 9 yrs old or something. But Issei wasn't going to complain about such an easy job.

 **END.**

 **We'll stop here. Hello all, and welcome back. something i never expected has happened. This story hit 1,000 follows! never thought that would happen. You guys rock!**

 **To answer a question before its asked, no Issei's mom will not be brought into the supernatural fold as a dragon tamer. I wanted to use something to explain how Issei may have gotten the boosted gear, other than random luck, and this seemed to be a decent to do that.**

 **Plus It gives me some stuff to work with for later. Some family drama stuff. No more hints about it.**

 **This took a bit longer to get out than i'd hoped, cause the part with Issei's mom fainting was re-written like 8 times. It came out too….incest-y the other times, and that wasn't what I was going for.**

 **Next chapter we'll have a time skip or two. I want to get to canon in the next 5 chapters.**

 **So here's a quick outline of chapter names that'll be involved before canon.**

 **Issei and the blaze meteor dragon**

 **Date with the Crimson Princess**

 **Issei's first kill**

 **Bondage, Boobs, and Blowjobs**

 **Marriage contract**


	12. The Blaze Meteor Dragon

**There will be quite a few scene changes, but i've tried to keep each section to 1,000 words so its not** ** _super_** **quick. There are two at about 500 though. I also kept forgetting to explain how Murayama and Katase knew about devils, so there's a brief explanation in this chapter.**

"Ready for this weekend Ise?"

He glanced over his shoulder to see Tomoe, the knight of his group rocking from her heels to her toes.

She and Yura had just walked in to the student council office, where the rest of their group were hard at work preparing paperwork for upcoming school events.

Class forms for what kind of display, booth, or type of entertainment they would each provide.

It was a little monotonous, but once they had built a rhythm it was pretty easy to get everything sorted.

"I know I should probably be nervous. But i'm more excited then anything." He answered her with a smile.

 **[You're welcome.]** A flash of green on his left arm, the boosted gear appeared for seemingly no reason, other than for Ddraig to make himself known as the boosted gear manifested.

Pretty much all movement stopped from the girls, all looking at the object that had a being with power they would likely never comprehend.

Ddraig didn't speak much when in the presence of the Sitri peerage, choosing to usually let Issei handle the situation.

But every once in a while, he would. And this was the reaction for each of those times.

Issei glanced at his arm for a moment, not stopping his task.

"Welcome for what Ddraig? Nice of you to join us by the way."

 **[You being excited is from the prospect of getting stronger, of looking forward to a good fight. Dragons have always strived for power, to protect what is theirs.]**

Issei hummed in thought, as the way Ddraig worded that made a lightbulb in his mind flip on.

Issei had noticed a possessiveness to himself that had never been there before. It became noticeable when he saw some blonde idiot hitting on Murayama. It was obvious to everyone around, except the idiot himself, that she wanted nothing to do with him.

His immediate thoughts were to march over there and melt his feet to the ground, then slowly peel back each inch of his skin. Oh the joy Issei would get from teaching this moron to tread on what was _his._

It was a similar feeling to when he walked into he kendo club as they were changing, only much much stronger.

Issei shook his head to clear the thoughts.

"I don't see myself ever getting used to that feeling." He said quietly, forgetting that the girls around him had supernatural hearing.

 _"She seemed quite pleased by how you handled the situation."_ Elsha brought herself into the conversation.

When the feeling got to be too much to handle, Issei had walked over and reminded her about their plans for dinner at his place the week after the break.

The blonde idiot muttered about how some guys have all the luck as he sulked his way off campus.

Kaori had apparently wanted to complete the image, and walked back arm in arm with him towards the kendo club room.

The side effects that he had been expecting were still there. And it seemed to turn into some sort of game between Momo and Reya. The main one was his lust, and seeing how well he could control it.

In the month since his reincarnation, in combination with his new hormones and instincts, he'd gone back and forth with keeping it under control.

Instead of the few days of reacting on instinct like Elsha had thought, it had been a rather steady build. Issei was thankful for that, as it gave him time to adjust to the feeling.

Their game started about two weeks ago. And Issei thought that Yui and Kaori were going to spontaneously combust with the rage they had emitted.

Walking to school had been the same, the trio walked through the gates when Issei caught the scent of Maple and Wintergreen. An odd combination if this had anything to do with food.

The scents were approaching quickly, and Issei had barely been able to turn to his left before Momo crashed into him.

But unlike her usual glomps, where she would hug him tight enough to be on the border of human capabilities, this time she threw her arms around his neck, and pulled herself up to give him a surprise kiss.

He would have thought it was accidental contact, if it weren't for the way her hand had moved to grab the back of his head, and the sultry smile after she pulled back.

And once she had, Reya calmly stepped up to him, almost standing on his feet. She pulled the loose neck tie that he'd decided to wear for once, since Sona was really strict about rules and appearances, and placed a kiss of equal measure to Momo's.

Ever since then, they would do that at least once a day. Sometimes before classes started, or at lunch, or when he entered the student council.

If they were trying to get him flustered and confused….it was working.

 **[Tannin will be a great asset for your training. I hope you're prepared to get a little singed, kukukuku.]**

Ddraig had warned Issei that Tannin had one of the hottest flames in existence before, but took a strange pleasure in the unease it brought to his host.

Issei's face warped into a mix of anticipation of what he could accomplish this next week, and concern over his physical being. Hopefully this former Dragon King wouldn't take things too far.

"I'm sure you'll come back to us much stronger. If you're hurt when you return, Reya and I can nurse you back to health." Momo said as she rubbed one hand on his back between his shoulder blades.

He had never known that such a simple gesture on such a non-sensual part of his body could almost turn him into goo in her hands, but when she figured it out, Momo took advantage of it.

"mmmmmm, nurses…." Issei mumbled, Momo's tender mercies making him lose focus and control. His mind picturing the two of them in sexy nurse outfits. Tight white blouses half unbuttoned, short skirts and the white cap.

Momo, Reya, Tomoe and Yura laughed as Sona rolled her eyes at her pawn.

"Issei. Focus." Sona snapped her fingers in front of his eyes.

His eyes refocused themselves from the glazed over look they'd held, and centering themselves on his king.

"Sorry Kaichou." He said, a hand rubbing the back of his head.

She merely nodded before moving on.

"I'll be taking you to meet with Tannin tomorrow around 11am. Be sure that you've packed sufficiently for the week."

Issei snapped himself straight and held a salute to his king.

"As you command M'lady."

Even though she rolled her eyes at him again, the small hint of a smile was enough to tell him that she wasn't upset by the gesture. She knew it was just him being his rather goofy self.

"We're done here for the day. You're all dismissed, report back Monday morning for distribution of the forms."

 **-LineBreak-**

"Ise, you're heading out tomorrow right? For that youth leader gathering?" His mother stopped him as he was about to head upstairs from the dinner table.

Issei turned around and faced her from the kitchen doorway.

"Yea. Kaichou is coming to pick me up around 11, and we'll head out then."

His mother turned her head from washing the last few dishes towards her son.

"Are any of the others on your student council going?"

"No, just the two of us. The others either have other responsibilities, or just didn't feel it was for them."

Mrs. Hyoudou nodded with a smile.

"I see. I'm glad you got in to that school, it seems to have done a world of good for you."

"Me too mom. Well I'm off to bed. Love you."

His mother stood there, watching her son walk away. The changes over the last couple months had been a weight off her shoulders. But these last few weeks she started picking up on subtle things happening with her small family.

She loved her son dearly, but up until he met those two girls that seemed to be glued to his side, she'd written off any good future for him due to his….tendencies.

He was calmer now, and actually thought about his actions. How he was managing that, she wasn't sure. Because the girls he seemed to surround himself with were all prime examples of how todays youth mature faster than all previous generations. Especially that red-headed one that came by when Issei was sick.

When Issei was in middle school, he was distant from herself and her husband because they almost always got into an argument over his behavior. So a pleasant conversation was not something that happened very often, if at all.

She hadn't heard him say that he loved her in far too long. She was so happy to have her son back. Not the lecher that the neighborhood placed secret bets on how long until he was on a sexual predator list, but the kind caring boy he'd been before Irina left the country.

Things were almost perfect, in her opinion. She had a loving, hardworking husband, and a son that was working towards what looked to be a great future.

But there was one small hiccup that had come along, and she made a mental note to bring it up with her husband the next time it showed up.

After her little fainting episode, Issei would now wish them a good night with a 'Love you' before heading to his room. After a week of that, her husband had started getting….snippy… with Issei.

If Issei noticed it, he kept himself composed extraordinarily well. Because the third time it happened, she wanted to bite her husbands head off. All he'd done was praise her cooking, the same thing he had done not even ten seconds before their son.

 _"Don't talk with food in your mouth."_ It wasn't _what_ he said. It was the angry tone that she didn't like. It was uncalled for.

"No one talks to my baby like that without a damn good reason." She whispered to herself. 'Not even his father.'

 **-LineBreak-**

Issei closed his notebook, finished with the last of his homework, and laid on his bed.

He was thankful that Ddraig and Elsha were giving him the night off of the typical night training, since for the next week he'd be in a live fire situation.

His mind wandered to the girls he was now friends with.

And he had been _very_ careful not to just say girl friends, to avoid any sort of misunderstanding.

Other than being a little more physical, there wasn't much that had changed between his relationship with Yui and Kaori. And that related to both their kendo club practices and otherwise. After the Kissing game started for Momo and Reya, they felt the need to attach themselves to him in some way as they walked to school.

He'd asked about their change in behavior the second day of it, after a brief glare from both of them, they simply said that he clearly needed a reminder of who his best friends were. Referring to themselves and not Matsuda and Motohama.

Other than the obvious physical attention from the two bishops, Issei had learned quite about them.

Momo had a near constant craving for ice cream, her favorite being mint chocolate chip. Her and Reya had taken to doing yoga together, and had offered to show him their 'poses'. She was also very fond of hugs, a fact he had already gathered. Her favorite color was orange.

Reya cooked pancakes for herself almost every morning. her favorite pastime when she was free was reading poetry. Her and Momo were living together in an apartment away from their families, under the guise of getting a scholarship to go to Kuoh. Blue was her favorite color.

The only thing that Yura did on a regular schedule of her own, was to watch UFC and workout. She lived with her grandmother the next town over, and was talking to Sona about getting an apartment of her own, not wanting to keep watching her last living blood relative slowly slip away from her huntington's disease.

Issei was surprised to find out that Tomoe had also lived in Kuoh all her life. She lived with her parents and an older brother in his mid 20's. She loved anything soft, fluffy, or squishy. He'd found out that around the time he had first seen her, she had gotten her first exposure to coffee. And caffeine ran straight through her, she had admitted all too readily that she had to pee 14 times that day, and drank about 2 gallons of water.

Tsubaki and Sona were still as much of a mystery to him as the had been since the beginning. All he knew about either of them, was that Tsubaki came from a family that was renowned for dealing with evil spirits, and Sona was a high-class devil.

If there was one thing that Issei wanted to change soon, it was his relationship with the king and queen, especially Sona. He handed his life to her, and was expected to serve her in whatever way she requested right? How was he supposed to do that when he knew nothing about her?

Issei figured that by getting closer to Sona, he could learn more about Tsubaki as well, since they were rarely apart.

Glancing over at his clock, Issei realized that it was almost midnight. He shifted under the blanket, ready for the first nights sleep without being dragged into his own consciousness to train.

In the morning, he would have to pack for his week away.

 **-LineBreak-**

Of all the ways for supernatural beings to travel, a train was not one that would be on Issei's list of inter-dimensional vehicles. But he had only been a devil for a month.

Just as she had said, Sona had rang his doorbell the moment the clock struck 11. There was a brief conversation about what they hoped to learn with his parents. Then the two teenagers had set on their way to the underworld.

The train itself didn't look like anything out of the ordinary, and when Issei had said as much, Sona told him, that was the point. They were in a human train station, and the public around them could see the train, as well as the two of them boarding it. She had also explained that there was a suggestion spell that kept humans from trying to board it.

"Issei." Sona called out, bringing her pawns attention away from the swirl of iridescence outside the window.

"Yes Kaichou?" The pair sat across from each other in the middle car of the train. Her reasoning was that it was the front car of the train that the Gremory and Sitri families shared.

It wasn't that they couldn't afford their own train, but they just didn't see the need. The two families were good friends, and with the relatively low number of people that could or would use the train, requesting it was no problem at all.

"About your father…" Sona started. Instantly Issei looked back out the window, trying to hide the way he felt about what had been happening. He had hoped that no one would notice.

But Sona saw how Mr. Hyoudou was acting when she picked him up. She had done some research on dragons since she had basically recruited one. The pros and cons. Things to expect, and what not to do.

"Yea…I know. Elsha and Ddraig explained it to me. That explains a few things about my childhood at the very least."

The first time his father had snapped at him, Issei was confused. He hadn't done anything wrong as far as he was aware. His two residents had explained what was going on, and it was just as stupid as it was strange.

His father felt _jealous,_ about the newfound relationship between him and his mother. He felt that Issei, his own son, was a risk to his marriage. But Ddraig had quickly elaborated that it was a males typical response to what he had become. To become aggressive, defensive, and territorial.

"I had always wondered why other boys my age would start off nice, and then get all angry and aggressive with me. Turns out those rumors of kids being more susceptible to the supernatural are true. And my dormant sacred gear effected them, just as much as my active one effects my dad. Other than staying quiet around him, or avoiding him completely, i'm not sure what I can do about it."

Sona kept her eyes locked onto the side of his head, she didn't need their connection through the evil pieces to know that this was hurting him. He'd told them how happy he was that his parents were proud of him again. And now _this?_

But just like he'd said, there was really nothing that could be done to….

"The bracelet." She said, the epiphany coming to her from out of nowhere.

Issei turned back to her, an eyebrow raised in confusion.

"The bracelet?"

She nodded.

Under normal circumstances, Issei wouldn't have the means to negate the way that his father reacted to him. But it became all too apparent that Issei had come in contact with at least a few people that were aware of the supernatural. One of which had given him a priceless bracelet that would solve his problem, if only temporarily.

"It negates the effects and makes you appear completely human. If you were to wear it at home, then your father hopefully wouldn't react negatively towards you."

The smile that came over her pawns face could have blot out the sun. The warmth that came from their connection, almost made her think he was about to proclaim his undying love for her.

Issei leapt from his seat, and in an instant her wrapped in his arms and was spinning around laughing.

Sona's hands wrapped around his neck seemingly out of instinct, to keep herself from being flung into the wall or to the floor. Normally she would have never allowed such an action upon her person. But this wave of joy and relief she felt from Issei made her just want to enjoy the moment.

It had been a long time since she felt anything like it, except from the obsessive antics from her sister.

Sona was head and shoulders above him, as he held her by the waist.

When he stopped spinning, he planted his head onto her stomach and gave her an extra squeeze.

"Thank you kaichou, thank you so much."

No matter how she felt about his abrupt actions, Sona was not accustomed to displays of affection. She had no problem smiling or laughing with her peerage, as few as those moments seemed to be. But hugs and kisses had been beyond her almost since the start of her training to become the head of her family. A handshake was the most familiar she had gotten with anyone in a long time.

So she settled for what she could handle. Instead of trying to hug him back, she merely patted him on the head.

"You're very welcome." She spoke kindly with a smile.

"Now put me down." And the Heiress persona was back up.

One more squeeze and Issei did just that. Both sets of feet planted back on the ground, they returned to their seats and Sona continued with the schedule for the next week.

"During the day, you will train with Tannin. I will be checking up on you occasionally once you've finished. We will also start on your knowledge of devil history and overall strategy."

The rest of the train ride Sona gave Issei an overview of the underworlds history. Who controlled what, major cities, historic events, things that would at least give him an insight into what he would have to know if he wanted to ever be moved from low-class.

And his desire for a harem assured her that he would want that. It would also help her plan that she discussed with Rias.

 **-LineBreak-**

Mountains. Outside of the window from the train flying through the air, it almost all Issei could see. The color of the rocks changed from brownish red, to gray, to a dark gray that was almost back.

Sona's overview had ended once they heard that they were entering Tannin's territory. Issei had tried his best to stay on topic, but there were a few times that he found himself getting lost in those Violet eyes of hers.

He wasn't even sure himself what it was. Issei had a long standing history of that only happening with him eyeing a girls chest. he wasn't even sure what it was that drew him in. It wasn't the connection between them, as it happened the first time he saw her, before he was reincarnated.

Those irises were so crystal clear, their color so vibrant.

Sona seemed to notice every time it happened too, because she stopped talking for a few seconds to let him regain himself before continuing.

Issei felt he learned a great deal from her. The highest ranked families, of which Rias was a descendant of. The devil civil war, and the new leaders that became of it. The basics of how a rating game worked. How demonic energy differed from any other pantheons.

Those few hours during the ride flew by.

The train landed itself, and the duo stepped out onto the grounds.

Issei marveled at the height of the mountains before him. They seemed to go on forever. Their height was easily comparable to the highest mountain ranges in the human realm, and no matter how far left or right he looked, they were all he saw.

There was little in terms of plant life here, but off in the distance, he did see a group of trees that seemed to be bearing some sort of fruit.

Other than the landscape, the first thing that Issei noticed was the scent lingering in the air. Fire, Frost, and if the tingling of his nose was anything to go by, electricity.

Sona stood beside him as the beating of wings could be heard in the distance. The strokes seemed to be far apart, signifying a large creature was approaching.

"Your instructor is right on time." She said, gazing off to the left.

They both watched as a figured elevated itself above the mountains.

At first, the size didn't seem substantial, just a purple blur in the distance.

But as the beating of the wings continued, and Tannin drew closer, Issei saw just how wrong he was.

Once the dragon was nearly directly above them, he covered almost all of Issei's vision. He was _massive._

The ground shook as his feet touched the ground.

The blaze meteor dragon Tannin stood at 15 meters tall. Most of his skin, or scales, were a dark maroon, almost purple. his chest and abdomen were gray, and yellow horns protruded from the top sides of his skull, arching forward towards and in front of his face, just above eye level.

"Welcome Lady Sitri." He greeted politely, a slight nod of his head to pay her due respect. Sona had informed Issei that Tannin was an ultimate class devil, and had no need to pay such respects to those ranked below him, but he was known for his adherence to devil culture.

The massive dragon turned to Issei and smirked.

"You must be Issei Hyoudou, Ddraigs wielder." Issei could only manage a stuttering nod.

"I hope you're ready to get put through the ring of fire hatchling."

The remark had Issei's blood boiling for some unknown reason. Whether it was from anger or anticipation he couldn't figure out. But he knew that being compared to a baby was definitely insulting, that much he was certain of.

Sona felt the connection between her and Issei start to bubble with an indignant rage, and couldn't stop him before he blurted his response out.

"Just you wait Old Man! I'll take whatever you can dish out! I'll show you, Elsha and Ddraig that i'll be the best Red Dragon Emperor the world has ever fucking seen!"

"ISE!" Sona blanched at how her pawn had acted, for both the disrespect and the profanity. This was not how she had been training him to act in front of someone of a high position.

Tannin just threw his head back and laughed. His voice reverberated through the area and echoed off the mountains, not seeming at all miffed by the way he was spoken to.

"Atta Boy! We'll make you into a fine member of our kind yet! Ooooooh, this is gonna be fun."

The legendary dragon set his eyes to Sona.

"Don't worry about it Lady Sitri, I provoked him to see how far along his new body had taken hold. I guarantee that by the end of the week, he'll be stronger then your other peerage members, maybe even as strong as yourself."

Sona looked between her pawn and the dragon towering over them, and was a little concerned at the identical grins they were sporting. She cleared her throat.

"Thank you for the quick acceptance of my request. It is an honor to have a member of my peerage to have teacher of your caliber."

Tannin waved off the compliment, knowing it was all for show, an aspect he liked the least of the devils he had decided to join.

"No need for a show here Lady Sitri. I get it. For some reason or another, you need the boy at the top of his game as soon as possible. I would have accepted training the boy even if he wasn't a devil just for the prospect of training my first wielder of Ddraig."

His statement was refreshing to Sona, who was so accustomed to maintaining a proper appearance with those older or higher ranked than yourself. She gave the dragon a small smile.

"Yes, You're right. Rias and myself are grateful that you've accepted. I'm sure you'll enjoy watching his exploits in the next coming year."

The scales that would have been an eyebrow rose. Then an knowing smirk came over him.

"So that's what the plan is eh? My lips are sealed. It will be most entertaining to watch that match."

Sona gave Issei a look that he couldn't read. Expectation? Worry? Pride? It was far too complicated for him.

"Yes, I'm sure it will the debut of the millenia."

 **-LineBreak-**

Sona had parted from Issei and Tannin shortly after, and entered her office to clear up some last minute paperwork. It didn't really need to be done now, but she liked to get things done ahead of time if she could.

leaving Issei there was harder than she'd expected. it felt like she was handing over a precious gem to a shady jeweler to refine and cut to be placed into a necklace. She preferred handling matters pertaining to her peerage herself, but this situation called for a different approach.

She had been upfront about her intentions of recruiting Issei, of wanting him to help her open a rating game school, her first step in changing the views of the underworld. Having someone of significant strength was a big 'must have' for that. She needed him to be at least stronger than half of the high-class devil population by the time it opened.

She knew that eventually, she would come to care for him like she did for the rest of her peerage. She just hadn't expected it to happen so quickly. Was it the additional pieces? Was it his willingness to learn from them and to prove they could count on him? Was it the eagerness he showed in getting to know each of them? Was it that goofy smile?

Sona wasn't sure if it was one aspect or all of them together, but Issei was quickly making himself to be an irreplaceable part of their group. If things continued at this pace, she wasn't sure she'd want to hand him over to Rias at all. Even if it were only for the month of her rating game. Their group just wouldn't feel the same.

Those kind of thoughts were for later though, for right now, she had a promise to keep.

Fingering through the student files, Sona quickly found what she was looking for, the two phone numbers of Issei's kendo friends.

Sona picked up the phone from her desk and dialed the one for Kaori Murayama. Issei had told her that the two of them would be together, and Murayama's would be the better bet for one of them answering.

It rang once, twice, three times before it was picked up and answered by the now familiar voice.

 _"Hello?"_

Sitting at her desk once more, Sona sat like she would if the girls were in front of her, it helped to keep up her strict student council persona, in both image and voice.

"Hello. This is Vice-President Shitori." She started, keeping to her alias.

"As you know, Issei Hyoudou is away for Golden Week. Before we parted ways, he asked me to deliver something to you and Yui Katase."

The receiver of her phone gave off some noise of shuffling, a muffled voice in the background, Murayama had covered the phone to speak to the other girl in question no doubt.

 _"Alright. What is it that you have for us?"_

"I assume that you're aware with my groups particular methods of travel?"

Sona was referring to using a magic circle to travel to where a potential client held their flyer.

"We are." The girls voice was flat and stoic.

Sona couldn't particularly blame them for not coming around to the devils of Kuoh just yet, not after the introduction they'd had to her kind.

Sona had pulled the two of them aside the day that Issei had awoken, and wanted to find out how they had come to know the existence of devils.

The glares she received were just as telling as the actual words.

Yui Katase was the daughter of one of the previous Kuoh wardens clients. Both of her parents frequently called upon Cleria Belial for various things. Her mother was killed by a stray that had picked up on the demonic presence lingering on her. Afterwards, Her father was approached by the Gremory family to work on finding locations to expand the Kuoh Academy brand, sending him away from his daughter.

Kaori Murayama's parents both worked for a company that her own family owned. A pharmaceutical company specializing in terminal illness medications. The parents were sent to the main building in Sapporo, where the company had planned to move all but one branch, as a recent breakthrough required all hands on deck.

The two girls had each found out separately, seeing the summoning of a devil from discreet spots in their respective homes, and only realized that the other knew based on finding the flyers in the others home.

having your families lives turned upside down was an adequate reason to discriminate against devils, Sona admitted.

"Issei wanted me to give each of you a flyer, to use in case you were in danger while he was gone. I understand you may be reluctant to take them, but this was his request, and he was very adamant that you take them."

Sona had to make sure that they knew this wasn't for her or any of the other devils in town. It was for their friend.

There was a brief silence over the phone, as Sona assumed Murayama was contemplating what to do. They both knew that Issei's biggest priority was the safety of those close to him. Refusing the flyer would upset him.

A sigh came through the speaker, and Sona knew she'd been able to keep her word.

"Fine. we'll come pick them up in an hour."

Sona had to hand it to the kendo duo. Their loyalty to Issei seemed absolute, and if he managed to get promoted to high-class in a relatively short amount of time, he would have two very dedicated servants. And more than likely, lovers as well.

Whether or not those two realized it, they were in love with her pawn. Her entire peerage saw it, except Issei it seemed. He had voiced his confusion over their anger from her bishops physical signs of affection as of late.

"That is acceptable, I will meet you at the campus gates."

Sona didn't bother with anymore pleasantries or goodbyes, as the girls on the other side were more than likely to just hang up anyway.

She heard the click just as she pulled the phone away from her ear.

Sona opened a drawer in her desk, and just on top were her the flyers with her family crest.

She grabbed two of the flyers, setting them on her desk and waited until the appropriate time to go to the campus gates.

 **-LineBreak-**

Issei had decided that Tannin was as much a sick sadistic trainer as he was a big purple dragon.

They had come into a clearing over a mile long and two miles wide. And the first thing Tannin did was tell Issei to carry a small white dragon on his back and run the perimeter of the clearing 25 times.

The dragon on his back hadn't spoken at all, and just hopped onto him as ordered. It was apparently a lightning dragon, because if Issei slowed to a point that was deemed unacceptable, it gave him a very painful shock.

Issei had made it 5 laps before almost calling it quits. That was when Tannin had explained just _how_ Issei would get so much stronger so quickly.

He wanted Issei to boost twice and transfer the power to his legs, and then once for the mass for the dragon.

Tannin had said that while the boosts would help, it would still be his muscles doing the work, and the added strain would help to increase both strength in his legs and stamina. There was also the benefit of his body becoming accustomed to the power the boosted gear would send through him.

'Shit piss fuck cunt cocksucker motherfucker!'

Issei ranted this stream of curse words in his mind repeatedly as the burn intensified. He was currently on his 21st lap, and had no idea how he could still be standing on his own two feet, let alone carrying a dragon that weighed who knows what at this point.

 **[Boost!]**

 **[Boost!]**

 **[Transfer!]**

The weight got easier for a brief moment, but Issei intimately knew what was coming next. Apparently, he could boost almost indefinitely as long as the amount power sitting in his body didn't become too much. This batch went to his legs, and his breathing became just a tad easier, as he prepared for the next addition to the weight of his hitch hiker.

 **[Boost!]**

 **[Transfer!]**

Issei slowed down to barely a jog when the weight changed once again.

As painful as this was, Issei had to admit it felt effective. he would be refreshed before a new layer of difficulty was added.

"Come on hatching! 2 more laps to go!" Tannin called out from the sky, where he was following his pupil.

Issei restarted the string of curses in his mind, as he did his best to pick up the pace. He was _so_ ready for this to end for the day.

'Shit piss fuck cunt cocksucker motherfucker!'

He'd thought the words so much, they'd developed a rhythm that almost resembled a tune to a song.

He pushed with what little energy he had left. He came around the bend to mark the last quarter of the second to last lap.

The white dragon on his back shifted the position of its tail only a few inches to the left. But it was enough to get caught in between Issei's legs.

His left leg pushed forward, catching the tail with the top of his foot, causing them both to tumble over each other over and over. When they finally came to a stop, Issei's head was spinning from the unexpected change in movement.

A loud thud and the tremble in the ground alerted him to his trainer landing somewhere in front of him. He couldn't tell the distance due to his swirling vision.

"A valiant effort Hatchling! I half expected you to call it quits around the tenth lap, but you're giving it everything you've got. Ansem you can head home."

The white dragon nodded its head, extended the wings that had been flat against its back and flew off.

Issei stood up, his legs unsteady due to still being dizzy. He held one hand to his temple to try and stop the world from spinning.

"So Old Man, are we done for the day?" Issei asked once he could look in the same spot for more than a single second.

"Haha, absolutely not! You hatchling, are a dragon. As such, you should know that you'll recover enough to move on to more upper body exercises in about an hour. And that's about the length of time it'll take for you to jog there."

Issei groaned, he was hoping to get into something exciting, like improving his fire or other techniques. He fully understood the importance of having a well trained body, but it didn't make him like what he was being put through so far.

"Alright then, where to?"

Tannin lifted a clawed hand to point between two larger mountains, a pathway visible between them.

"Through that passage is the valley of Dragon Mountain. Once you make it there, you'll find a tree bearing dragon apples. You'll wait there until your sparring partner arrives."

"Dragon apples?" He'd never heard of such a thing, but then again, he was in the underworld; a place he never really considered existed in the first place.

 **[A fruit that some dragons require to live. They only grow in the underworld now.]**

Ddraig hadn't manifested the boosted gear this time, instead just the green glow on the back of Issei's hand appeared when he spoke, right where the gem on the gauntlet would usually be.

"What do they taste like?" Issei asked as he started a slow jog towards the place Tannin had indicated.

 **[There is nothing in the human world to compare them to.]**

 _"Perhaps if the harvest has been sufficient, Tannin will allow you to have one."_

There was a gold shimmer in Issei's line of sight, it looked like golden dust particles were gathering together.

It was strange how the golden thing seemed to be moving with Issei, staying in the same spot in his vision as he moved forward.

"What the hell is that?" Was he exhausted enough to be hallucinating?

It didn't feel that bad. In fact, Issei was recovering his strength just like Tannin had said.

 _"One moment."_ Came Elshas voice again.

The gold shimmer started to get denser, but still somewhat transparent.

It was beginning to look like an outline of a body.

The legs were long and slender, coming up well rounded hips and a thin waist. As the form came up to the chest, Issei finally noticed what was missing.

Clothes.

Well rounded breasts led up to the blonde haired and mix eyed face of Elsha, who was smiling triumphantly.

 _"Ah, much better."_

She looked at Issei's face, which was wide eyed and open mouthed as he stared at her while still jogging.

 _"What's the matter Ise?"_ Elsha asked with her head tilted to the left, a strand of her hair slipping from her ear and over her shoulder.

"Are you two conspiring with the girls to test my self control? Because this will be torture if you are."

 **[I have nothing to do with this.]** Ddraigs voice was flat as he watched through his hosts eyes.

 _"What are you talking about?"_

Issei closed his eyes for a brief second to take a calming breath. The shaking of his movement made him open his eyes almost right away to force the uncoordinated feeling away.

" Okay. 1) How did you do that? and 2) you're naked."

Elsha's eyed widened and she peered down to her projected body, and saw the lack of clothing.

She wasn't bothered by it, as nudity hadn't been a big concern during her time.

 _"Yes, yes I am. Does my naked body bother you? You sought to gaze at naked girls frequently in middle school."_

Issei was trying really, _really_ hard to keep his eyes on where he was going and not on her body. But his control was slipping, spending just as much time looking at her as he was the path he was following.

"Bother me? No way, you're easily the hottest naked girl i've ever seen. But it is very distracting."

He wasn't sure if he could even touch her, but if she either didn't put clothes on, or stop what he could only assume was some form of astral projection, he knew without a doubt he'd try.

 _"I see."_ Elsha tapper her chin in thought, the way her arms were against her chest only made them more pronounced.

 _"After you're done for the day, We'll try this again. Maybe after some rest, my clothes will manifest as well."_

Her image became more transparent before shimmering away completely.

 **LineBreak-**

Issei laid his head against the long log beside the fire he'd started, staring up into the strange purple sky.

"I left on Saturday… So that would make today…. Friday?" He asked himself.

As tiring as the training was, it made the days go by in a flash. Issei found himself losing track of how long he'd been out here, and how much longer he had left.

"Yea. It's Friday."

Tannin had left a while ago, leaving Issei to his own devices. Or more accurately, to leave him at the mercy of the Norsefire Dragon and Ddraig.

Today had been more of what Issei had been looking forward to during this training period.

He was sparring against a blizzard dragon named Reyk. Tannin had explained that while at a glance his own fire would put him at an advantage, Blizzard dragons were able to manipulate that ice. So if the area they fought in became covered in the frost, he could easily be taken down.

Issei had been hard pressed to physically over power the dragon. After being nearly ripped apart by the ice shards around the field, Issei jumped out of the way and towards the edge of the battlefield, setting most of the ground on fire to melt all the ice around them.

It ended in a stalemate when both of them sank down to the ground, breathless.

Issei held up the fruit that Tannin had been growing on his territory. The Dragon Apple.

A darker shade of red than apples in the human world, a bit larger too. But the taste was nothing like he could describe, just like Ddraig had said.

It was juicy, sweet, and a bit tangy. It was also now Issei's favorite fruit.

Until he'd taken a bite of it, he had a hard time believing that one of these fruits was able to sustain a fully grown dragon, unless they ate all that the tree had growing on it.

Whatever these things did to dragons was amazing. They were filling, able to quell the hunger built from the harsh training. And it helped soothe his aching muscles.

There was one other mystery solved now that he'd held the fruit. The nameless scent that Issei had picked up from his mother, was sitting here in his hand.

The thought made him feel a little homesick. Well, maybe homesick wasn't the right word, but he was concerned for her safety since he wasn't there. And overall, he just missed her. The lunches she made him for school, the way her hugs just made him feel totally accepted and loved, her calming presence.

"Dammit. Stupid Dragon Tamer traits. It's making me sound like sniffling 5 year old."

He grumbled to himself.

A gold shimmer of light that had become all too familiar during this week caught his attention.

And the _still_ naked Elsha walked over and laid down next to Issei.

 _"You know that you can't help it Ise. It's how the Dragon Tamers ability works. You've heard those old stories about a dragon guarding a young woman in a tower? That's usually a dragon tamer being guarded by the one she connects with. Over the years the true accounts have been bastardized to ignore the fact that "the savior" was trying to kidnap her in the first place."_

Issei turned his head to look at her, trying his best to look her in the eyes and not gaze at her spectacular body.

"Are all Dragon Tamers female?"

Elsha nodded, noticing the way that his eyes kept wanting to shift to her chest. He was doing a good job of it tonight.

 _"Yes. To my knowledge, there has never been a male Dragon Tamer."_

Issei thought about a male dragon tamer having the same effect on him that his mother did. The thought made him cringe and shiver.

"For the sake of my sanity, I hope I never prove that statement wrong."

Issei sat up and finally allowed himself to look over Elshas body.

If there were ever a model image of European beauty, she would definitely been in the running for it.

"You still haven't answered me on how I can see you, or why you're naked."

He felt himself get a little hot under the collar when she sat up and stretched with her hands over her head.

 _"Your astral projection training has progressed enough to wear I can manifest like this with little to no strain on you. I imagine that in another month or so, you'll be able to feel me touching you, as well as have others see me. I could form my clothes, but that would significantly shorten the length I can stay like this. And I am enjoying spending time with you this way."_

Issei had to use his hand to cover her body from the shoulders down from his eyesight.

"So….you're basically a ghost when using the projection?"

 _"Precisely!"_ Elsha nodded with a bright smile.

"You spent a few hours out like this the other night. So why did you set the goal for me to reach 5 minutes before?"

 _"Because while we are in the boosted gear, astral projection is more difficult. You have to bring your mind and part of you soul back into your body and then redirect it outward. It was a quick way to get you're ability up to par. Plus I had you project both of us, thus adding to the difficulty."_

Issei was starting to get near the end of what he'd be able to comprehend on this subject, so he asked what he felt were the important aspects of this magic.

"Alright. How long are you able to stay in this ghost form? And can I see the same way I could when it was activated from the sacred gear?"

 _"In this transparent form, about 8 hours. If we tried a fully visible, spiritually tangible body, about 4 minutes. And yes you can see the same way even if your conscious."_

 **-LineBreak-**

Issei had been trying to fall asleep for the last 30 minutes now, the smoldering campfire to the side of him still radiating enough warmth.

After his talk with Elsha, he wanted to try and use the astral projection for a few minutes.

He was glad to see that she was telling the truth that it was easier, the image was also a lot cleaner. Before there was always this blueish gray hue to everything, but this time it was crystal clear.

Once he'd stopped and wanted to get some shut eye to be well rested for the next day of training, his second to last day here, his mind was racing with the possible uses of his new skill.

Checking and area with possible enemies without the need to send a person in to scout.

He could have Elsha watch behind him to prevent a sneak attack.

Distract someone when they saw her and make them look the other way.

If he'd had this ability a year ago, he'd only have used it to peek on the girls. The idea sounded tempting, but the backlash probably wouldn't be worth the trouble.

Plus Elsha seemed to have no problem being naked around him, so he could get his naked flesh viewing quota filled almost whenever or wherever. It still made him want to touch though.

His thoughts were finally calming down enough to where he'd be able to fall asleep.

With his eyes closed, his hearing and sense of smell felt amplified, even though he knew that wasn't true.

The smell of burning wood was most prominent, and behind it he could catch the scents of the forest that the breeze carried over to him.

The embers of his fire crackled as the moisture evaporated from the wood.

Issei found the sound comforting, like for those who keep a fan on just for the white noise to fall asleep to.

A different sound came from off in the distance, almost like a crunch of a foot on the softer dirt over by the tree line.

He ignored it for the time being, choosing to listen to the strange birds quietly chirping from above and behind him.

He heard it again, that crunch, but it was closer this time.

Issei could tell that it definitely a foot this time.

Trying to appear as though he was asleep, he weighed his options of what to do.

He could call out to the person, hoping they'd respond.

He just open his eyes, get up and look.

Or he could project himself to keep his facade of being asleep in place.

 _"This is a good chance to practice the projection Ise. Use it and watch whoever is approaching."_ Elsha spoke in his mind.

Ddraig must have already fallen asleep, but if things got physical he was sure to wake up.

Issei concentrated on himself, the same way he did in the boosted gear.

Elsha had described the process as tying a tether from the soul to the body, and letting the soul fly freely.

He felt the spot that was warmer then the rest of his body and grabbed onto it, picturing himself casting it out like a fishing line.

His vision went from pitch black, to watching the campfire from above, his body at rest beside it.

Looking at his own body, he could already see the difference that these last few days had made.

He wasn't the scrawny guy he was before getting into Kuoh. Most of the additional muscle was just from the transition into being part dragon, but his training had definitely added some definition.

Issei turned to where he thought the foot steps were coming from. Outside of the ring where his campsite was, there was no light to see from. Even with his enhanced night vision, he couldn't pick up any movement.

Whoever or whatever was approaching him had yet to move since the last crunch he heard.

All he could see was the silhouette of trees and the few bushes surrounding him.

Another crunch.

Issei spun around, trying to see what had changed positions. But nothing seemed different.

'Damn. Where are you?'

That last step was definitely closer. But his new sense of hearing was still something he was getting used to, and wasn't able to even guess at how far the sound may have come from.

3 more steps.

Issei thought he saw something, but the breeze that came through had made the trees and bushes all sway as well. So again, no luck.

If they got any closer, he'd probably have to stop the projection to get ready to protect himself. Issei couldn't think of any positive reason why someone would be sneaking up on him in the middle of the night.

The wind picked up again, and Issei looked to his right.

The scent he picked up was somewhat familiar, but also held a significant difference as well.

Water, it smelled like a fresh rain had just finished, that refreshing scent that his king carried.

The difference in it was hard to explain. It was like he could smell the _cold_ in it, so instead of a fresh rainfall, it was more like the waters running off of a glacier.

Crisp, crystal clear, refreshing. And very very cold.

Issei spared a glance at his body, and oriented himself to where the scent came from.

'45 degrees from the left side of the log.'

He ended the projection, returning to his body.

Issei opened his eyes and stood up quickly, turning toward the direction the cold scent came from.

There were 2 trees a bush, and something that looked like it had short vines or hanging branches close to the ground.

There was a flash of blue from the unknown thing that Issei had assumed was some sort of weird underworld plant.

A pointed projectile came towards his left knee, almost too fast for him to see. But it was still too fast for him to dodge.

It collided with his thigh just above the knee cap, and ice started to form around his leg.

'Shit!'

This week was making Issei really start to dislike dealing with ice magic users.

He took a medium sized breath, ready to melt his leg free.

His head pointed down to his freezing leg and spewed a small but hot flame.

a 2 second burst was enough to get himself free.

Issei brought his head back up, only to see another flash of blue, this one looking like it was aiming at his chest.

He jumped to the right, getting out of the circle around his camp and into the clearing.

Issei activated the boosted gear, ready to strike back against his assailant as a larger ice projectile flew by.

He could feel Ddraig stirring as the gauntlet covered his arm to the elbow.

 **[And so it begins.]**

Issei didn't look at the gem, but asked Ddraig as he kept an eye on his opponent.

"What begins?"

Issei started to draw upon the energy in his body, pulling it towards his arm with the boosted gear.

 **[Power seeks power. The stronger you get, the stronger the opponents will be.]**

"Great." He mumbled as a red ball formed in his palm.

Issei drew his arm back quickly and shot it forward towards the figure still covered in darkness.

"Dragon Shot!"

The baseball sized collection of energy expanded once it was let loose.

10 feet wide and 7 feet tall the red beam shot towards its target. The bright light made Issei squint his eyes, and thus missed the figure stepping to the side before vanishing.

As the red light faded, Issei saw the destruction that one shot had dealt to the line of fire.

A large ditch followed the path, along with trees that had been singed in half or completely blown away, leaving only the roots behind.

"Holy shit! That attack might not do anything against Old Man Tannin, but it sure as hell is a good landscaping trick."

Without the trees or other brush in the way, the moon lit the ground at least a little.

The figure that had attacked him was nowhere to be seen, he scanned to the left and right, but saw nothing but the usual forestry.

Issei was slowly turning when he caught that cold scent again.

This time, it was _very_ close.

He spun around quickly and was surprised to see a rather short and well endowed girl wearing a costume he recognized from a show that Motohama made him watch.

His surprise was all the girl needed to get her shot in.

She had a pink wand that was almost as tall as she was with a gold star in the circle at the top of it, raise above her head.

She spun it twice, star shaped sparkles shooting off, then slammed it to the ground.

"Celsius Cross Trigger!"

The entire clearing was shrouded in a layer of ice that appeared from nowhere.

Issei felt it slam against him and cover him up to his elbows. He was trapped.

'I hate ice.'

he tried moving any of his limbs, but the wouldn't budge any, and he wasn't sure that even if he boosted he'd be able to get this thick layer off of him.

The girl in the magical girl costume stepped forward, each step making her short pink skirt come dangerously close to revealing what lay underneath as her breasts jiggled side to side.

She came within 10 feet of him, and puffed her cheeks as she pouted at him.

The pink skirt was accompanied by a pink button blouse that exposed her navel, a size too small thanks to the size of her breasts.

he blurted out his thoughts before he could stop himself, his training making the dragon more prevalent in him, and the filter for his mouth almost non-existent.

"I never thought I'd meet a girl cosplaying magical girl milky spiral seven, that could _actually_ do magic."

he'd slap his hand over his mouth if he could, but the ice certainly prevented that.

he noticed the girl in front of him stop mid step, her somewhat familiar violet eyes widening, before a broad smile came over her.

The girl bounced over to him happily, humming a tune he'd never heard.

 _"Still the same energetic girl, bless her heart."_ He heard Elsha whisper.

Her happy face turned into a pout once they were nearly face to face. Her puffed cheeks making her look far too innocent to be a girl that had literally frozen him to the ground, with seemingly little effort.

"It was mean of you to attack me. You almost broke my wand!"

She stepped back and crossed her arms under her chest.

"What do you have to say for yourself?"

Dumbfounded by the rapid fire changes she was showing, Issei scrambled for the first logical response he could come up with.

"Ummm. You shot first?" The girl started tapping her foot, clearly wanting more of an answer than that.

Her breasts were once again jiggling from the movement of her leg, and Issei was finding it hard to further explain himself, rather than stare at her. With a face that was almost identical to Sona, a larger and bouncing bust, plus the outfit, his mind couldn't bring up anything other than X-rated thoughts.

"Could you stop that please? It's really distracting."

This week had really done a number on his self control. With Elsha it seemed fine, because he knew that he couldn't touch her. So that took away part of the urge he might have felt otherwise. but this girl was flesh and blood. Tannin seemed to both fuel and encourage Issei giving in to what the dragon instincts were craving for. The two ideologies had been waging a war this whole week.

She stopped. Issei wanted to crawl away from the sad puppy look she sent him.

"You don't think i'm attractive?"

 _"Don't say a word. She's playing with you."_ Elsha spoke aloud, the ice surrounding his sacred gear making the sound echo up through the ice and straight to his ears.

"Elsha~! You ruined my fun." The girl whined.

 _"I think you've had enough fun already Serafall. I don't think your sister would like getting her pawn back with half of his body covered in frostbite. Dragon or not, ice at absolute zero is dangerous."_

Serafall shivered as she thought about the glare that Sona would give her.

"Yes, it is." Came a familiar stoic voice. A blue magic circle appearing just behind Serafall, who had stiffened.

The circle flashed and revealed Sona, rubbing the bridge of her nose.

She should have expected something like this to happen. Especially given the conversation she just had with her family. They had initially been confused when Sona brought the topic of marriage up herself.

And then appalled at the mention of training her pawn to be the one to be her husband. It was only after everything had been laid out that they were even willing to listen to her plans.

"SONA! I MISSED YOU!" Serafall launched herself at Sona, grabbing onto her around the neck, nuzzling their cheeks together.

"You saw me not even an hour ago." Her voice conveyed her annoyance, as she tried to pry the amorous Satan off of her.

Once Serafall was back on her feet, her happy expression turned serious. She glanced back and forth between her captured opponent and her sister.

"You're sure this is what you want Sona?"

Sona pushed her glasses back into place, having fallen down from her sisters actions.

"He is the best candidate I've found by far."

Sona stepped away from her sister and towards Issei, looking as he had started to shiver.

"Good evening Ise. I apologize for not checking on you like I said I would. There were some…family issues I had to deal with at the last minute."

Issei clenched his teeth, trying to keep himself from displaying just how cold he really was. He missed that this was one of the few times she called him by his nickname.

"Hi Kaichou. No worries, but if you could get the jailbait over there to let me out, i'd really appreciate it."

Both girls looked at him with their mouths agape. Sona couldn't believe what a member of her peerage had just said about one of their leaders, her own sister no less.

Serafall, while shocked, was happy with being described in such a way. Most of the underworld had a general idea of how old she was, and a girl likes knowing she's not looking her age, even if she could alter it with magic.

 _"You'll have to excuse him. Tannin has been reinforcing the dragon instincts to get better training results. He'll be back to normal a few days after he's back home."_

It took a few moments before either of the girls moved, and Serafall was the first to recover.

She burst out laughing, holding her stomach and trying to remain upright. He'd won the devil king of foreign affairs over. He knew what her outfit was from. One month after being reincarnated and he was already at a low leveled High-class devils power. And he didn't capable of lying or hiding his true intentions. Yes, he would be a welcome member of her family.

Her sister was going to have one powerhouse of a pawn, given enough time.

She would make sure that he moved up quickly.

"What brings you here Kaichou?" Issei ignored his kings relative, in favor of finding out why she was here so late at night.

"Ah, yes. Tannin has been called away for the time being, so your training has been cut short. He sends his regards, and offers another training session at the time of your choosing, so long as schedules are in agreement."

A large shiver ran over Issei, the cold was really starting to affect him.

"I see. Kinda bummed it's getting cut short, but I understand he's got more important things to do."

Another shiver, this one even larger then the last came.

"Kaichou…Can I get out of here now? This ice is dousing my fire, or i'd do it myself."

Sona sent a glare to her sister, who was wiping a tear from her eye, still giggling.

"Yes, I believe my sister was _just_ about to release you."

Sona was not an ice user, but the look she gave Serafall made her -460 degree ice seem like a warm summers day.

"Eep! On it!" Serafall hurried to where her wand was laying on the ground. Once she had it, she waved and the ice shattered from his body.

He shook the remnants from his frame.

 **[Boost!]**

 **[Transfer!]**

Since the gauntlet was still active, he gave himself a little jumpstart to warm himself up. The quick temperature change made his fingers and toes a little tingly, but he was fine other than that.

He made his way over to Serafall, who he had yet to be introduced to. He gave the short woman a bow.

"As you know, my name is Issei Hyoudou, Lady Sona Sitris pawn."

Serafall gave the boy a broad smile.

"Hey there! I'm the Devil King, Serafall Leviathan! Your master is my little sister! Welcome to the family!"

Issei blanched. He had unknowingly been belittling one of the four leaders of the underworld.

'Kaichou is _so_ gonna be pissed when we get back to Kuoh.'

 ** _[Kukukuku. Good luck partner. I think the phrase - Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned - is rather appropriate here.]_**

Well at least someone found his situation funny. If it wasn't _his_ ass on the line, he probably would too.

"Ise. We need to be going, and you need to head home right away."

The way she spoke made it seem like someones world was coming to an end.

"Is there something wrong back home Kaichou?"

Sona nodded. She had been surprised to receive a call from the girls that had it well known that, if it weren't for Issei, they'd stay as far away from her and Rias' groups as possible.

"Your two kendo friends called me. Apparently there was an altercation with one of the parents."

Issei's eyes shot to the top of his brows.

'Shit! Already?! I didn't think that was supposed to happen for another few days!'

He hurried over to his bag, zipped it shut and made his way back to his king in under 5 seconds.

"Kaichou, I don't want to interrupt time with your sister. But _please,_ I need to get back and talk to them before they do something stupid."

 **-LineBreak-**

Mrs. Hyoudou came into the living room, hearing the door open. She had been making a late night snack for the two girls who were up in her sons room.

One of them was a complete wreck, having just had what sounded like a big argument with her parents. And with them, if it involved one, the other was dragged into it as well.

It broke her heart to see them so frightened and unsure of what to do.

"I'm home!" She heard the voice of her son just as she came to the kitchen doorway.

His appearance surprised her, for multiple reasons. He had a tan, like he'd been out in the sun for the entire time he'd been gone. His shirt and pants looked like he'd run through a maze of razor blades. And he was two days early!

"Ise honey, what happened to your clothes?!"

Issei waved her question off, setting his bag down on the entryway floor.

"Sorry mom, i'll explain later. Are Yui and Kaori here? Kaichou said that they called her asking for me, but I didn't bring my phone."

nodded with a smile. If Issei hadn't warned her about this possibility a few weeks ago, she would have been worried out of her mind for the two girls.

"They're in your room. And quite upset."

Issei took off towards his room, without another word.

Issei ran up the stairs, taking two at a time, when he came to the top he heard them whispering to each other. Kaoris voice made it apparent that she'd been crying heavily.

He walked to his door, opening it slowly, so as to not startle them.

The only light inside was the lamp on his desk, giving the room a yellowish glow.

Stepping through the doorway, Issei saw the two girls huddled together on his bed, comforting each other.

The heads came up, expecting his mother.

Kaoris eyes lit up once she saw it was him instead.

"Ise!" She yelled, springing from the bed and running into his arms.

She buried her head into his chest, her hands pulled in to let herself be enveloped. The sobs renewed once she saw the person she was terrified of leaving behind.

He gently wrapped his arms around the brunette. One hand on the center of her back, the other stroking the hair that was for once not held up by her usual red ribbons.

"What do I do Ise?"

He squeezed her body to his, trying to take her worries into himself.

"Live with me. Both of you." He whispered.

Her teary brown eyes snapped up to his.

"You knew?"

Issei gave her an apologetic smile as he nodded.

"I heard when you told Yui. I asked my parents about it, they both agreed. You can live here rent free for as long as you like."

If this were Momo or Reya, he would have expected the reaction.

But when Kaori pulled him into a deep kiss, tongue and all, he was unresponsive for more than a few seconds before returning it.

"HEY! No fair you two!"

Katase jumped off the bed to separate her friends.

When the two of them pulled away, Kaori refused to let him go, her hands on each side of his face.

Her light brown eyes boring into his.

"I love you Ise. Pervert, Devil, Dragon, Harem king….I don't care. I need you to be in my life."

Issei could only smile as she kissed him again.

 **END!**

 **Whew! Long chapter eh?**

 **Next chapter will skip a few months a head. So it'll probably be a long one as well to give me some recap room over how things change with his relationships.**

 **Issei is +1 girlfriend! bet ya didn't think it'd be Murayama huh?**

 **I'll do an edit check later….I'm too tired right now.**

 **I would have added more of the actual training segments...but those are boring. It's more fun to see it in an actual combat situation.**

 **Plus we have 1-2 more to go through before canon**


	13. Interlude: A mothers guilt

**For the first time ever, i'm doing a POV scene. I don't think it'll become a habit, but it just seemed like a good way to do this particular one. It's also rather short, because I wanted it to be a bridge from when Murayama confessed. And to give his mom a bit more character. Let me know what you think about this style, I still prefer third person. You can portray each character easier. If anyone is wondering about my other stories...i'm working on it. My brain is so all over the place that its hard to concentrate long enough to get a good chapter written.**

 **Preparing to buy a house is mentally taxing.**

 **POV Mrs. Honoka Hyoudou.**

From an outside perspective, things would look as though everything is wonderful.

I would mostly agree. Things in our little home have been nearly perfect these last few months.

My husband Koji got promoted this year. My son got into a rather exclusive high school. My favorite Soap Opera got renewed for another few seasons. Those two wonderful girls moved into our home, i've always wanted a daughter.

Things right now, _are_ nearly perfect.

But that doesn't help this crushing guilt I feel.

I'm sure some would wonder, just what in the world _I_ had to complain or feel guilty about.

It's because I almost ruined it all. I had been at the brink of tearing this family apart at the seams, and hadn't even realized it.

Every time I see my son, Issei, my heart clenches.

Whenever Koji smiles at me, I inwardly cringe.

How had I been so _blind and stupid_?

When I was a little girl, my mother had frequently warned me about the more lecherous men i'd one day come into contact with. The women of my family had always started to develop rather early.

I may not be at the level of the rest of my family had been, but i'm a bit bustier than the average Japanese woman. I took to wearing clothes that hid this fact when I was 14.

High School and college had been filled with cat calls and leering men. The occasional grope was met with a knee to the testicles.

I knew almost immediately, that my husband was a pervert, when we started dating. One night he'd gotten drunk enough to tell me that he'd dreamed of having a harem at one point.

He made no attempts to hide the fact that he found me attractive. He also was very transparent that he wanted to know what laid in the mind, just as much as what was underneath the clothes.

It had taken a rather long time, for me to reign him in as much as I have.

When we _finally_ had Issei, the world became this scary thing I had to protect him from. I suppose it was a natural thing, after two miscarriages and years of trying.

Koji and I would do anything to make him happy, and ensure he was safe.

For the first 6 years, everything was perfect. We had this amazingly vibrant little boy, looking at the world with shining inquisitive eyes. It still confuses me how he had such a hard time making friends, even the parents of those pint sized bullies didn't get it.

And then came the Shidou family, and that darling little girl Irina. Those two were attached at the hip, for the two years they lived next door.

Issei was crushed when they left.

That was also my spiral into the horrible mother i've been for the last 8 years.

My son came home from the park one day, spouting nonsense about floating boobs and the magic they held. _The key to happiness,_ Issei called them.

I thought, _hoped,_ it would pass. But it didn't.

Perhaps it was a combination of my families early sexual development, and Koji's perversion. Maybe it was because Issei had no one to play with that he turned out that way.

But we had been so passive in disciplining him up to that point in his life. He hadn't really needed it before. He adored us, listened to whatever we said, and had never really gotten into trouble.

By the time he was 9, all he seemed to talk or think about was something sexual.

I slipped back into old habits. I berated my son, yelled at him, spanked him a number of times when I caught him looking at porn. The pinnacle of it all, came when I found a magazine in his room. I spanked him, bare handed on bare bottom.

Later that morning, I found our computer _teeming_ with pictures of naked young women. That was the last straw, and I broke.

I saw red, and took a belt this time. Koji came home early that day, and found me beating our son with the _buckle_ of the belt. I had been so angry I hadn't noticed that part. I don't even know how long i'd been swinging, but Issei had stopped crying, and just winced at each hit.

The argument between Koji and I, lasted for hours. He admitted that the porn was from him, and not our son.

That was a week after Issei's 11th birthday, the last day I hugged him. The last day I told him I loved him. From that point on, I was emotionally distant.

Weeks turned into months, and I started picking up the occasional part time job, to keep busy. I spoke to _my son_ , the same way someone would an estranged second cousin at a family reunion. I treated my husband the same way I did those teachers and classmates who ogled me.

Months turned to years, and the rift had only deepened between Issei and I. Koji had started working later and later, coming home only after the sun had set. Birthdays and anniversaries were the only time Koji and I would have sex, and it was half hearted on my part.

I believed that Kuoh co-ed announcement was both a glimmer of hope, and a path to ruin. Even though I hadn't shown it in years, I still loved my son, and wanted him to succeed.

The school was renowned for its quality education, but I thought the gender ratio would only get Issei into legal trouble. I wanted Issei to go to a good college, but didn't want him to be listed as a sex offender.

I hadn't even known that Issei had started working out, until he told me about his run to Kuoh Academy. I pushed him to go back for the girls help, because I just didn't want to deal with his antics anymore.

When he came home with bruises, I thought he'd been lying about trying to correct his behavior, and was just getting caught peeking at the girls. Until I had the pleasure to meet Kaori Murayama and Yui Katase, that is.

Admittedly, I was rather cold to them the first few times. Girls as pretty and driven as them didn't hang around perverts like my son, unless they were after something. Money, favors, a good laugh, I wasn't sure what it was.

After a month of those two being around him though, I saw the change. I watched as my son regretfully, tossed out his stash of magazines, under threat of hardened wood against flesh.

That was enough to chip away at the haze I had been in. When he came home a few days later, with the worst bruises i'd ever seen on him, I just couldn't hold back from smothering him.

My baby boy was hurt, and all I wanted to do was hug it away, to smother him with the love i'd withheld for too long. My mistakes all came rushing to me as my son stiffened in my grasp. Seeing him nearly in tears from a simple hug… I've been a horrible mother.

One day, i'll sit Issei down and apologize for the way I treated him, just as I did with Koji. To know…. That the late nights Koji spent working had been _optional_ , it hurt. It hurt even more, to know that he was wondering how much longer he could take the strain. In other words, how long could he last before filing for divorce.

He didn't want to spend time arguing with me, or watching me treat our son the cold way I had been, so he spent that time on bettering his career.

I watched as those two girls slowly but surely started to fall for the enormous heart that beat in my sons chest. When I tried to warn them, that Koji had infected Issei with that… _harem idea…_ They simply said they knew about it, and would be sure to beat it out of him.

After the night that I collapsed, when Issei was assumed to be missing, I started to notice a few things.

The first is how…attentive, Issei is with me. Our relationship is better than I'd hoped, and certainly better than I deserve. But it is a cause for concern at the moment.

If I hadn't seen some of the games he'd managed to get a hold of, I may not have ever come to this conclusion. When Issei and I are in the same room, and no one is speaking directly to him, or he's not otherwise preoccupied, his eyes glance over to me every few seconds.

Almost as if he has trouble looking anywhere else. When he hugs me now, I can feel him almost _melt_ into my arms, like he wants to be nowhere else. Part of me loves it, the other is worried and a little grossed out.

I am NOT some cheating whore of a step-mother from one of those adult games. I am his biological mother! The affection I show him may be a little more than normal, but i'm just trying to make up for all that I kept locked away.

Koji noticed it too, and had gotten a bit too aggressive with how he responded. But that seems to have passed thankfully.

The second thing i've noticed since Issei started High School, is the girls.

I understand how Kaori and Yui both came to love my son, even if they deny it.

But its like the sex drives on some of the other girls is on overdrive! From the moment I met them, Momo and Reya seemed to already have deep feelings for Issei. I know that their hormones are running rampant at this point of their life, but my god do they need to get themselves under control.

I'm not ready to be a grandmother. 51 is too young.

If that red-head starts making a move on Issei, I fear the battle is lost. I'm not sure I like that girl, she's much to charismatic to _not_ be two-faced. But maybe i'm being too harsh, and my past experience with girls like that is clouding my judgement.

The last thing, is directly tied to the second, along with how Issei has been brought up.

My son has no idea how to approach, interact, or start a relationship with a girl. All he's ever had, are fantasies of well established and physical relationships.

And porn. I can only imagine the pain those girls' parents must feel.

I heard the confession Kaori gave a while back, as the vents in the laundry room were directly below the room they were in. I felt it was necessary to swiftly intervene, and give Issei an out. Poor Yui had clearly been working through her own feelings and coming to grips with them, and her best friend just ups and swoops in first.

Before I could knock though, Kaori had said, _"I know its unfair of me to do this right now. To you, Yui, Momo and Reya, but I can't help it. I don't want an answer, or for anything to change. I just wanted you to know."_

Honestly, I hadn't known the girl was so mature.

The weeks that followed were…interesting, to say the least.

During the day, and in plain sight, nothing seemed to change between them. They got along as well as they always had, sometimes a small argument over trivial things would come up. They were still teenagers after all.

What caught my attention, was the way all these girls seemed to know how the others felt, and still were marching forward to catching my sons affection for themselves.

I even caught Yui sneaking in to his room far too late one night. Knowing that she was against anything overly sexual, I wasn't too concerned, and decided to get up a little earlier to check on the state of things in the morning.

It was adorable, finding Yui snuggled into Issei. She had draped one of his arms over herself, and was holding onto it tightly. I was relieved to see they had clothes on, and there was no sex stench in the air.

I hadn't been as quiet as was necessary I suppose, because I turned around to find Kaori right behind me, looking directly at the scene as well.

The brunette just smiled towards my son and her friend, and walked away to get ready for school.

That leads to today.

That redhead, Rias I think her name was, had stolen Issei for the afternoon.

It was obvious by what Issei said to me, that it was a date. My oblivious son, seemed to have no clue though. Kaori was meeting with her parents to discuss her permanent move to our home, so it was just Yui and I at the moment.

I couldn't help but inquire about the strange way these girls were acting. I was worried that someone would get hurt, and then Issei would be caught in the middle of it, having no idea what he'd done wrong. Something his father and I were to blame for.

I thought about how to word it carefully as the day progressed. Finally while making lunch, I decided it might be better to be blunt.

"Yui dear, I understand that this might sound callous, but I need to know something."

My pink-haired companion brought her water bottle down from her lips, and _finally_ had done as i'd been bugging her to do for months.

"What is it mother?" When i'd suggested that the two should call me mom, at first it was just a joke. A way to tease how close they were to Issei, but somewhere along the line, that turned into a real desire to have them as my family.

She'd only called me that three times now, and admitted that she couldn't say mom, because she'd already had one. Mother was as close as i'd get, and that was fine.

"I know you're in love with Issei, and I heard Kaori confess to him. Then there's those two student council girls, and the date with that Rias girl today. How many girls are pining after my son? And how are any of you okay with this, knowing that there's others?"

The girl had gone stiff, her hand clenched the water bottle, spilling a good portion of it onto the floor. Well, I did need to wash these hand towels anyway, so they'll do to wipe it up.

I had time to place the towel on the floor and let it soak the fluid, before Yui came back from outer space.

"I should have known you'd see through me." Honey, you're as transparent as scotch tape. "Kaori said you knew I snuck into his room."

She sighed, obviously stalling for time, picking up the towel and placing it in the hamper I had placed around the corner in the living room. I sat down at the table, so she knew that I wasn't going to accept not getting an answer.

She was fiddling with her hands when she sat across from me.

"I don't know exactly how the others feel. But I know Momo and Reya are pretty serious."

Before deciding to be a stay at home mother, I had wanted to be a child and family counselor. So I knew, based on what I was seeing and hearing, that I would have to be the one to keep her on track.

"Honey, please answer my question. I just…I need to understand."

And for the love of god don't you dare lie to me! I've already caught Issei 3 times since he started High School. I don't need you girls doing it too.

I couldn't very well say that to her though, it'd scare her stiff, and she'd clam up.

"There's 6 of us at the moment." Fuck…

I don't swear very often. But Fucking Dammit!

This is all my fault. I didn't stop Issei from diving into the murky depths of being a pervert. Now he was moving to be a womanizing pervert! I'm going to have a grandchild from who knows how many women. Then my son will be some lowlife who can't afford to pay for rent or a mortgage because of all the child support payments.

Wait….

"At the moment?" There's going to be more!? I think my heart's imploding.

Yui couldn't make eye contact with me. At least she was being honest.

"Yeah…I know…I know how this sounds."

Oh no, she's tearing up, I didn't want that. I didn't want to upset her! I just couldn't take being in the dark like this.

"Yui, I didn't-" Those pink eyes, glistening with tears look right up at me. Issei will not be happy if he finds out I made her cry.

"It sounds like he's holding something over our heads to get us to go along with it. That, or we're all messing with him to gain something ourselves, like a group of selfish sluts." Not the words I would have used…But yes, basically.

As Yui wiped at her eyes, I wanted to tell her, that I didn't see her as that kind of a woman. Perhaps I thought she had developed some questionable morals, as far as relationships go, but thats it.

"I'm sorry, I didn't want to start crying. I just feel like i'm getting left behind because I can't suck it up and say that I love him. It feels like my dad leaving all over again."

We sat there for almost 20 minutes before Yui calmed down enough to keep talking.

"Yui, I just don't understand." It felt like i'd been saying that a lot lately.

The hopeful daughter-in-law laughed at me!

"Neither does Ise."

I couldn't stop the head tilt or confused sound from coming, which only made her laugh more.

"He's absolutely clueless. If Kaori hadn't said it right to his face, I don't think he'd ever get it. When Momo or Reya come up and kiss him, Issei thinks they're just testing his self control. He has no idea how they feel about him."

"And you're all…okay with this?"

The very definition of a conflicted look came over her face. At that moment I knew, that she wasn't entirely accepting of the whole, multiple partner situation she found herself in.

"I'd like to say no. Or maybe if it were just me and Kaori, i'd be able to swallow it easier. We've been friends forever, and always want to live with each other. We've done everything together since we were 4."

Koji can never know about this. He'd scream about his son completing his harem dream from a skyscraper with a megaphone.

Then he'd probably try to persuade me to get in on the idea. And then I would have to finally tell him about his shortcomings. That is not a conversation I want to have, ever. Faking the second orgasm is a hell of a lot easier.

"You'd like to say no…But?" Come on girl, if my mind can wander through several different thoughts and still keep up, you gotta speed it up.

Yui shook her head, she mumbled something she obviously didn't mean for me to hear, but i'm used to listening for a boy who liked to hide his porn habits from me.

"Why are you pressing so hard?"

She looked to me, with a bright blush. Here we go, now I get to hear how my son is building a harem and not even knowing about it.

"One of the times I snuck into his room, I didn't intend on laying there all night."

 _One_ of the times eh? So it happened before I caught you.

"It was when he was sick, I went in to check on him. He was mumbling, so I leaned in to hear what he was saying."

This is starting to feel too much like a cheesy romance movie. Keep going!

"It was too incoherent, so I was just gonna head to back to bed. When I went to stand and leave, he turned, and his arm brought me down to the bed."

Yui wasn't even seeing me anymore, now she was reliving the memory. I don't think i've ever seen that loving smile on her face when she was with my son. She'd done a commendable job of hiding it from him.

"Issei is a lot stronger than he looks, and I couldn't move. When his arm pulled me in closer, it was like..like…"

Come on! Don't stop now, it's just getting good! I mean, I get that we're talking about my son here, but this sounds so sweet.

"Like he would do anything to just keep me there in his arms. It was so warm."

Ooooohhhh, your blush is so cute, I just wanna pinch your cheeks and hug you!

"Somehow, he knew it was me he was holding onto."

I know the smile that's on her face right now. I've seen it, i've felt it.

"I snuck in three more times before the one you saw. Every time, it's the same. He holds me like i'm all that matters, even after Kaori confessed. I'm sure the whole, handful of girls chasing him thing, will bug me. But if the way he holds me never changes, i'll never leave."

I _should_ still be upset that my son seems to be leading these girls on, even if it's unknowingly. I should feel responsible for the morally wrong choices that I have led him towards, in my negligence.

But looking at Yui at this moment, I can't help but feel proud of what is happening before my eyes.

My son is finally getting the love he deserves. It's an incredibly abnormal situation, but when has Issei ever been normal?

As long as everyone is at the same understanding that Yui is, I guess it's just not my place to intervene.

There is still something I want to know though…

"You said that Momo and Reya were serious, what about that Rias girl?"

The speed at which Yui narrowed her eyes was astonishing. Between that, and her clenched jaw, it was obvious how she felt about the busty redhead.

"Kaori and I are doing anything we can to keep her away from him."

That was apparently the end of our discussion, because Yui had gotten up and left.

I guess my intuition about her was right. So why is Issei on a date with her right now?

Hold on a moment…I never found out who the sixth girl was!


	14. Date with the Crimson Princess

**There are some things that will need to be explained and clarified at the bottom, for those of you that haven't looked up the specific traits of the devil families.**

Walking through the crowded streets, one arm being held on to rather securely, and the other in his pocket, Issei was confused.

Yesterday, his king had asked if he'd assist Rias. Having no plans for the day, he'd agreed, thinking it was something devil related in _some_ way.

As far as he could tell, nothing about where they'd gone or anything they'd done, was related to the supernatural. Other than the amount of money that had been thrown around.

 _That_ certainly wasn't normal.

Taking the train into the same general area that Issei had met up with his old friends, he discovered that there was a similar set up only a few blocks away.

Most were stores that catered to media and pop culture, with stands selling merchandise for musicians, movies and other groups just outside. Seeing the price tags made him realize the reason why this area seemed so different from the one he usually visited.

Exclusive T-shirts and other clothing from the tour, Figurines with certificates of authenticity, Meet and greet tickets for artists that usually never did them. All of it was at least three times what he'd usually see.

This set of shops and stands were for the upper class, a way to separate themselves from the common rabble of otakus and fanatics.

Issei found it rather insulting.

Part of what was so amazing about these fanbases was how they could all come together over a single topic. It didn't matter whether you were rich or poor, or what you did for work. Conventions were much the same to him, underneath whatever costume you chose was a person with a passion.

That was what mattered. Not the clothes, or the status you held.

He was starting to regret his choice of apparel, as the heat of the day kicked in.

Low-top black and white chuck taylor shoes, khaki pants, plain red t-shirt with a black button cardigan that was left open. The only accessory he had on at the moment, was the bracelet of the gold dragon king, on his right wrist.

The pants were fine, but he probably should have checked how hot it would be today, when he decided to wear the cardigan.

"How about we stop for lunch?" Rias said from directly to his left, still attached to his arm.

Having only seen her a few times, and talked to her once, Issei was surprised by how close she was to him today.

Although if he were being honest, the wide eyed stares they got when walking passed the shop owners that he knew, was pretty damn satisfying.

"Sounds good to me. Did you have anything in mind?" He asked, his eyes not able to keep from wandering up and down her frame.

Unlike Issei, Rias had chosen something to wear that let her stay nice and comfortable.

A white sundress that reached a little more than halfway to her knees. The strap looped around her neck, instead of the usual shoulder straps. Her crimson hair, normally flowing freely, was tied into a ponytail.

It was as if everything had been meticulously chosen to show off just the right amount of skin or cleavage. Women were truly devious and calculating creatures.

She wore no makeup, not that she needed any, aside from some lipgloss. Her skin was perfect, light complexion with no blemish, scars or other marks to be seen. She had no reason to resort to the sorcery known worldwide, as cosmetics.

Rias had her own peerage to assist her in anything she wanted. So what was this prime example of young feminine beauty doing asking for his company, on what was little more than a shopping spree?

If she were human, her figure alone would have made picking any guy to escort her a breeze.

Those blue-green eyes glimmered with a clarity and shine that would captivate those who didn't care to look. And her silky voice would have turned the heads of those trying to ignore anyone around them.

Her smile and personality only further added to her already staggeringly perfect image.

They had met up at his house, for reasons she hadn't explained. His father had been about to set off to work on some project that was taking up a lot of his time, and had nearly become a drooling mess on the floor when he answered the door.

Rias had been polite to everyone home, but for some reason, Yui and his mother weren't as receptive to her as the males in the household.

The heiress tapped her chin, scanning the street for somewhere to grab a bite to eat.

She must have seen somewhere that caught her attention, because she immediately set her course.

"Let's try this place up ahead." She had smoothly brought her arm from its place wrapped around his, and down to lace their fingers together as she guided them forward.

Issei quickly adjusted to the change of pace, only being dragged for half a second. He did slightly raise an eyebrow at the change to her holding of his hand.

He didn't mind, in fact he quite enjoyed the soft touch of her hand, but it did paint an impossible picture from an outside perspective.

A young man and woman, spending time together in the city. The woman holding herself close to the young man beside her, smiling as they talked about various things.

Taking in the surroundings, and the appearance of the duo, it would look like a date. One in which an average looking guy who probably had too much money on his hands, had bribed his way into getting the girls attention.

In this part of the city, it had been seen too many times to count.

Guy sees a beautiful girl, that is so far out of his league, they might as well reside in different galaxies. Guy whispers sweet words of never ending gifts and extravagant vacations.

Guy puts on a front of the caring and loving boyfriend, until the girl inevitably lowers her guard enough to lay on the bed of lies and deceit, being stripped of the innocence that had endeared her to him.

Getting what he wants, the guy moves on to the next unsuspecting gem that catches his eye. Rinse and repeat.

The bystanders and shop owners would never know, just how wrong that assumption is. It was more likely to be the other way around.

 **-LineBreak-**

Classes, paperwork, clients, peerage duties. It seemed as though it was a never ending cycle.

Throw in the occasional meeting with her family, and Sona was ready for a break.

Before this school year, it was relatively easy, given her talents. She was a natural at running the school from the shadows, and had been doing so since the beginning of her first year. Her time management was impeccable, her attention to detail, precise.

She shuddered at what would happen when the figurehead that was the current student council president, returned from her time away. That girl had no respect for the job, all it was to her is a popularity contest.

She made a note, to tell Issei that he had to start wearing the bracelet at school soon. But Sona wasn't certain that would be enough. Issei wouldn't know what hit him, and the girls would be upset if Ayla got to him first. Damn succubus, she's lucky to have descended from one of the queens. Sona would have booted her out of the territory otherwise.

It felt nice to know, that she could handle the workload that would be expected of her, once she opened her own school. But there was still so much to do.

Property to obtain, a building to construct, teachers to interview and hire, students to enroll. Tuition to calculate, and salaries to negotiate.

Taking her glasses off, Sona rubbed the bridge of her nose. She'd been staring at this particular form for a while now.

There were several pages documenting a timeline of events to come, and the last few pages detailing a contract.

The papers were only part of what was causing her head to throb.

It was surprising to see that it was her far too affectionate sister, that gave the least resistance to her plan. It just went to show, that Serafall truly only wanted what made Sona happy. Not that Serafall had any say in family matters anymore.

Her parents only even _listened_ , because she emphasized how her plans would further the reputation of the Sitri name, and the influence they'd gain.

The fact that she was looking to marry a _"mere servant"_ still grated on their pride and nerves.

"Sona, take a break and have something to eat. Please." Her queen said as she walked into the office, a tray with a variety of sandwiches spread about.

Setting the tray on the desk, covering the papers, it was clear to Sona that Tsubaki wouldn't take no for an answer.

"You win. Just a small break." She said with a sigh.

Tsubaki sat across from her, both picking up a sandwich.

As the queen finished her first, and prepared to eat one more before getting back to work, Tsubaki broke the silence.

"How _is_ the planning coming along? Their reactions were less than pleasant."

Sona placed her cup down back onto its saucer, giving her friend an exasperated look.

"My parents refuse to help with something they see as a pipe dream. They made it abundantly clear, how they view my plans for the future."

Somehow, Lord and Lady Sitri had gotten wind that Sona was looking at property near the edge of their controlled lands. The meeting that resulted from that was…less then cordial.

It was heated, filled with curse words and rather negative depictions of her character.

In an uncharacteristically emotional display, Tsubaki placed a hand over her own, a sad smile on her lips.

"They're wrong. They're wrong about you, and they're wrong about him."

It was something that only Sona had seen before. Tsubaki never liked showing how she felt about anything to anyone else. The rest of her peerage was fairly new, and there hadn't been anything to bring out the _real_ Tsubaki, since any of them had joined.

Hopefully that would change sometime this school year, because they were all tiptoeing around her still. Especially her pawn.

Sona couldn't blame him either. Sona kept her mask up just about all the time, and hadn't really had a chance to connect with him yet. It was just that, there was so much to do, so much to prepare him for.

To be what she needed, Issei had to have power, enough power to overwhelm someone touted as a prodigy amongst his already powerful family. He would need to develop a mind capable of strategy cunning enough to outplay the nobles that would seek to see him drown in the depths of inferiority.

He needed to be at the level of a pure-blooded devil that had trained most of their life.

And he only had a year to do it.

Those circumstances, didn't leave a lot of time for niceties, pleasant conversations, flirting and dates. Things that she could feel he wanted, through her ever growing connection to him.

Sona had never lied to Issei. But she had certainly left a large portion of the details out. She felt that was for the best, at least for now.

She had told him that people would be watching him, once he became known to the masses. Those of lower standings would be watching to see what another low-class devil could accomplish when given the opportunity.

Those of the upper class, would watch to see what a longinus user would bring to their race. Would the fact that he held one of the 13 treasured tools of god bring chaos? Or would it be the thing they needed to make the other factions be more wary of taking them lightly? Lucifer and Beelzebub were decent enough at that, being stronger than almost every other being alive.

But having another certainly wouldn't hurt.

"Thank you Tsubaki. Words alone won't be enough to show my parents how wrong they are. He may have won over my sister already, which is surprising enough as it is, but he's not ready to face the challenges ahead of us yet."

Tsubaki nodded to her king, bringing her hand back to resume her lunch.

As Sona made to do the same, she wondered if a year was enough time to get it done.

'Even if I can persuade Tiamat to train him, i'm not sure that'll be enough. His strength is coming along nicely, but that means nothing against an opponent that can regenerate almost endlessly.'

There was still much to do, to prove her parents and the devils as a whole, that heritage isn't everything.

But the thing she wanted to prove the most, was that her mother was wrong.

Iseria Sitri would regret calling her daughter a _low-balling whore, relegating herself to a five dollar prostitute, whose only goal was to find a man with a hint of ambition so she could spread her legs and fuck said man into keeping her around because she amounted to nothing herself._

Needless to say, the mother of Sona Sitri had a rather colorful vocabulary when she was angered or caught off guard.

If Sona were the type to retort to her elders, she would have asked her mother _"Isn't that exactly what you did?"_.

That statement wasn't worth the repercussions, for obvious reasons. She wanted their support, not to be disowned.

It wouldn't have mattered, how good saying that, would have felt.

 **-LineBreak-**

The waitress had come and taken their orders, gave them some water until the drinks were prepared, and made herself scarce.

The place Rias chose was nice. An open air cafe, the windows and doors removed to give let the warm breeze and fans keep the customers cool and comfortable.

It felt like a place you'd expect to see in an area that never dropped below early summer temperatures. This area of Japan didn't get nearly as cold as others up north, but it still did get to freezing for a small portion of winter.

The feel of the place was relaxed, but had a distinct upper class look, just as the shops they'd gone in.

The servers were in well maintained uniforms, the floor was freshly waxed. The decorations were light in number, but well placed and helped to only boost the atmosphere.

Noticing that there were no prices on the menu, Issei decided to just go with something simple and cheap, so he didn't drain too much of the cash in his wallet.

"They can be a little heavy handed sometimes, but they mean well. The worst time was when we were looking for the tailor that did our uniforms."

Issei admitted as he rubbed the back of his head.

Rias had brought up the topic of his two kendo friends, after she confirmed that the two were currently living with him. She'd inquired about how they met, and the progression of their friendship.

To her, it was both a way to make conversation during the time their food was being prepared, and a way to learn more about him. Gathering information on the romantic situation was merely a bonus.

He'd pretty much been an open book, not shying away from anything she asked. It was refreshing to meet someone like that. The more she heard, the more interested she became in the small details, either about him, or the situation he described.

"I take it, you got into a little girl trouble?" She said, humor clear in her voice, her teasing smile made that even more apparent.

"Heh, you can say that. The training afterwards was pretty brutal." Issei winced a bit, remembering the vicious beat down he got after hitting on what had to be the hottest older women he'd ever seen.

'I can't believe they dragged me away like that! She was actually flirting back! Gah! So not fair!' he thought bitterly.

Issei would forever remember that face and body. Long legs, wide hips possibly after effects of being a mother, small waist with _huge_ tits that bounced like none he'd ever seen. And that face…it was…enchanting. Sharp features, soft skin, with those piercing violet eyes. Her brown, medium length layered hair just made her eyes pop more.

Chances are, that he'll never see her again. Which was a shame, because he would never know just where that talk could have lead them.

"But enough about me, what about you Ms Japanophile? If you had to pick one thing you liked the best about Japan, what would it be?"

Issei asked that, just to draw attention away from himself. He wanted to know more about the girl he'd agreed to try and save, but mainly he just didn't want to embarrass himself today.

If he did, Sona would hear about it in no time. Issei was looking for ways to get into his own kings good graces.

They got along well enough, and their connection through his 8 pieces certainly helped. But aside from being able to get a vague idea of what she was feeling, he really knew next to nothing about Sona Sitri.

He knew that she loved her peerage, but it was always work work work with her.

Issei wanted to know how to get her to loosen up for an afternoon and have some fun.

Rias' eyes lit up, and her fanaticism came out in full force as she animatedly talked about anything she found interesting about the country.

 **-LineBreak-**

Rias stared, wide-eyed, at her date.

Every part of her body tingled in joyous rapture at what had just happened. Her breathing came in haggard rasps, uneven and difficult.

Her cheeks felt like they were burning with that same deep red fire Issei had displayed in the few training sessions she had been witness to.

She would deny to the end of time, that her paternal trait was flaring up in full force; causing her nipples to be harder than diamonds and as sensitive as a shame-plant, and her _rose,_ sopping and ready to be plucked until she couldn't sit, stand or lay comfortably. Preferably for the next week, if she had any say in it.

The bracelet that Issei was wearing, had been an increasing curiosity for her throughout their day together. Black and gold links with obvious supernatural runes expertly carved into them.

Other than the markings and craftsmanship, it didn't appear all that special to her. But _by the satans_ was she wrong.

After their meal, a rather mediocre one for the price in her opinion, she had decided to walk while holding onto his right arm.

She had been thoroughly enjoying his company today. Rias knew that Issei was hiding all sorts of dirty, perverted, and possibly kinky thoughts about her and a number of the girls they'd seen.

But even so, they had found similar interests that made being with each other casual and effortless. Being that they were in the heart of otaku country, anime was a common topic.

Rias had been pleasantly surprised, to here about the depth in which Issei Hyoudou loved his family, a facet of him that was mirrored by her own ideals.

Finding out that protecting the ones he cared for was a main reason in his joining of the Sitri peerage, warmed her heart.

She would just have to earn the acceptance and approval, of the women living at his house. Something that she was already starting to make plans for. Mr. Hyoudou was not an obstacle in this regard, that was apparent when they met this morning.

The light glinting off the bracelet brought her attention to it, making her take a closer look as they walked off to the next shop she had wanted to visit. Her curiosity had reached its peak, when she caught sight of the dragon carved into the gold links, and she couldn't help herself.

Ever since learning that he was the Red Dragon Emperor, and hearing the voice of _Elsha Laevateinn_ , she had been infinitely more curious about both Ise himself and dragons as a whole.

Unfortunately, she and her peerage had been kept busy by clients and the annual increase in strays. Summer had always brought about more servants rebelling against their masters, as the longer days decreased the weaker masters living in the human world.

Aside from catching a glance of him during school, they'd only spoken the day she bumped into him at the beginning of the term. Rias had been looking forward to getting to know him better, and learn more about him herself. Hearing about him from Sona and Tsubaki was nice and all, but they always gave a somewhat lackluster review.

They never mentioned anything about interests, only about his training and how he handled his own temptations with women.

As long as things stayed the course they were going today, Rias could honestly see her and Issei coming to love each other over time, if they didn't already by the wedding day.

Walking in to a shop that sold somewhat obscure manga, Rias wanted to find a gift to bring her adorable nephew Millicas, for when she went home during the break.

Sure, his mother would be unhappy about the gift not having anything of value to add to his education, but it would make him happy. And that was what Rias wanted the most.

His parents and grandparents could handle the rest. She wanted to be the fun aunt.

"Your nephew likes manga?" Issei asked her, scanning over the long isle of books that had been collecting dust for a while.

Picking one up about a team of militarized squirrels, Rias nodded.

"I think I might have influenced him a bit too much to his parents liking." She chuckled, remembering the looks that Grayfia had given her.

The boy needed to have more fun, he wasn't being prepared to be the next head of the family, so he deserved it. You're only a kid once.

Issei smiled as he agreed with her. He wasn't the suave, pretty boy type that you'd see charming girls by the dozen. Issei had his own charm. It was much slower to catch you in its grasp, but so much more effective.

His desire to make the women in his life happy, added to the dragons aura that slowly leaked from him, it was like a black hole slowly dragging you into its center. Once you were there, you'd never escape, part of her wondered if she'd ever want to.

Rias had disregarded something she heard in passing, from Momo and Reya, when she'd conversed with Sona. Something about a tidal wave of that dragon energy. She thought they must just be inexperienced with more powerful beings. What she had felt all day, was nowhere near as powerful as they'd described.

Now that she had something for her nephew, Rias set her sights on teasing her date. To see just how he'd react to all of the pictures while being with her.

The shop she had lured him into was known for its obscure collection. But also for its large section of…sexually explicit material.

Issei hadn't given any indication that he'd seen the curtain off to their left, marking the adult only section.

Sliding her fingers down his arm, to once again lace their fingers together, Rias tugged him towards it.

"Let's head over here, there's something my queen wanted me to find."

Akeno had said that she wouldn't mind a few materials to refine her…tendencies, but she'd never said that Rias should go looking for them, or asked her to for that matter.

Poor oblivious Issei just nodded and walked along with her, towards the curtain. Just before Rias had walked through it, she could feel Issei stiffen behind her, having realized where they were going.

The small hiccup passed, and he reluctantly walked along into the area.

Coming through the curtain, the light was rather dim. The covers of each book placed as though they were enshrined here, were unreadable in the current light. That was most definitely on purpose. What shop owner would want people masturbating in their back room?

Rias watched as Issei passed underneath and joined her, looking straight at her and nowhere else.

She hid her smile and pretended to look through the various fetish sections, while keeping an eye on him discretely.

Rias noticed a group of covers with rather large busted women, and saw Issei had trouble not looking at them. That was good to know, there would be no problem in his desire for her body, even though she hadn't really been worried about that from the start.

Try as he might, Issei had been occasionally checking her out throughout the day. Mostly her chest, put on display as it was with her low cut sundress.

She had gotten used to being stared at a long time ago, so it didn't bother her, as long as that was where it ended. Touching required permission, which she had never given to _any_ man.

"Lady Gremory, would you mind if I waited outside?" She stopped immediately. The usage of her title and last name was slightly alarming. He'd taken her advice, and just called her Rias almost all day. Right now, it felt like they were back to square one.

'Am I making him uncomfortable?' She hadn't thought, with the history he had in middle school, that he'd be at all put out by this scenario.

Rias figured that being in a porn section with a beautiful girl would be huge turn on for him, possibly a bit distracting, but that's it.

His eyes were closed tightly now, as if he didn't trust himself to be in here with her. Not wanting to sound worried that she had gone too far with her prank, Rias tilted her head and asked him as innocently as she could.

"Do you not like being in here with me?"

Without opening his eyes, Issei shook his head.

"I'm a guy, a pretty perverted one at that, being in here with a girl as drop dead gorgeous as you, is like accomplishing a weird dream I didn't even know I had."

He slowly opened one eye to look only at her.

"But that part of me has only ever caused trouble. I've worked _really_ hard to control myself, and ever since joining Kaichou, it's only gotten harder."

Thinking over the group of girls that he had to spend extended amounts of time with, specifically the bishops and the kendo girls, she could see his dilemma. The Sitri bishops were encouraging him to make a move on them, while the two human girls were adamant that he hold himself back.

Stepping closer, Rias' hand stopped on his right wrist where the bracelet was. No longer wanting to play with him, she was starting to feel a little bad about it, putting all the work he'd put into himself in jeopardy.

"Okay, i'm sorry for doing this to you, I just wanted to mess with you a little."

Sliding her fingers over the cool metal, Rias saw Issei open his eyes directly towards her, still not wanting to chance looking around.

"But while we're alone, could I ask you one question?" He nodded, her index finger and thumb coming to latch onto the bracelet, wanting to drag it into view as she asked her question.

But it was never able to be brought forth.

The spot her fingers had grabbed, was right on the clasp, pressing the sides in and releasing it from his wrist. Her hand lifted just enough to remove the jewelry completely from him, leaving it dangling in between her fingers.

There was no wind, no physical force that acted upon her.

But Rias would testify on her entire family's life and fortune, that _something_ had encompassed her entire being.

At that moment, the room turned black except for one thing, one person.

Issei Hyoudou.

When she had removed the bracelet, he became everything, the _only thing,_ that she could see, hear, touch or taste. Between the absolute black, and the man before her, was a deep red aura.

It was deeper than the color of her hair. Darker than the power her mother gave her, that Sirzechs wielded with masterful precision.

It swirled around him like a fire that had no flame, no target. But the _hunger_ was there. It wanted everything. It wanted her, this shop, this city, this country. It wanted the world to bow to it, and wouldn't stop until it had achieved that very goal. To ravage the world in its fiery dominance.

All that Rias Gremory was and ever would be, was insignificant compared to that, to him.

A part of her realized that she should be afraid, terrified even, of who stood in front of her.

Tales of the Red Dragon Emperors of old, often depicted dozens of enemies being frozen in fright and awe, as they realized the folly of standing against that single being.

Against the one encased in the red armor of the dragon of domination, they were nothing but ants.

Even as that fiery aura shifted, swirling around the two of them, Rias felt nothing but _desire._

As her pupils dilated, and her body felt like it was burning from the inside out unless it was ravaged by Issei, she stepped towards him. Rias' mind was nearly empty, except for the desire to strip down and present herself to him, hoping that he'd enjoy the show she would put on, just for him.

For weeks after the events that occurred in that curtained off area, Rias couldn't even stand to be in the same hallway as Issei, too embarrassed by what she'd done.

Rias' face had been as red as her hair, when Sona forced her to reveal the details. She truly should have known better, when she told Sona that her pawns evil pieces were acting up.

 **-LineBreak-**

Sitting up in her bed, Momo looked to her phone, which was lighting up her ceiling at the moment as it rang.

She moved the blanket, revealing how sheer the ice blue nightgown she had donned was. If she were wearing a bra at all, you'd be able to see it, clear as day.

She hated wearing underwear to bed, it got uncomfortable with her being a hot sleeper. The thin garment was as far as she could go, so she didn't wake up covered in sweat.

Picking the device up off her night stand, she blinked to get used to the change in light.

"Hmmmm…" Her curiosity was peaked as she saw the name of the caller.

Kaori Murayama. She had only called her once since they'd started to become friends.

It was definitely strange for her to be calling after midnight though. Something must have happened with Ise that she wanted to talk about.

Pressing the green button, Momo brought it up to her ear, trying to sound more awake then she truly was at the moment.

"Hello Kaori, what's up?"

Momo adjusted the strap that was threatening to leave her shoulder.

 _-No sex.-_

A white eyebrow quirked upwards.

"Have I missed something?" The girls voice sounded strained. Kaori had told her and Reya that she'd be meeting with her parents today, and would probably have a parental meeting with the Hyoudou family soon.

 _-I think we all have.-_

Kaori must be fairly agitated to be so short with her right now. Momo had been thankful that the two human girls had warmed up to at least her and Reya as quickly as they had.

They talked without Issei around with some frequency, so she had been able to pick up on a few habits and ticks the brunette had.

"Kaori, I can tell that you are upset about something. Take a breath and tell me what it is, I know you called me for a reason."

Her enhanced hearing caught the signs of Reya moving about, probably from the ringing of the cell phone waking her up. Her room mate probably thought they were being summoned for an emergency stray hunt.

Momo heard Kaori take her advice, taking a deep and slow breath, letting it out the same way.

 _-Issei had his date with Rias today.-_

The door to her bedroom opened, revealing Reya in just her bra and panties. It was quite something to see how long her friends hair was, when out of the braids. It reached down to her knees when unrestrained. It was wavy thanks to her preferred hair style.

Reya leaned against the door frame to wait and hear what their orders might be, if there were any.

"Yes, he did. What happened that has you so upset?"

Momo smiled towards Reya, watching as the brunette devil wiped at her eyes. She flashed her phone towards her briefly, so Reya could see the name on the screen.

Reya nodded, letting her posture relax a bit, before walking over.

 _-He wouldn't say. He was all smiles when I got home though, so obviously something happened.-_

Reya sat beside Momo, leaning her head on Momos shoulder.

Momo draped her arm around her friend, rubbing her shoulder as she talked on the phone.

"You didn't press for him to tell you?" She was honestly surprised. Those two girls were very protective and nosey when it came to Issei and each other.

 _-I wouldn't want someone getting all the details, if I were in that position. He's also been very…affectionate, tonight.-_

Momo pouted as she heard that.

"How affectionate?"

Kaori paused, seemingly unsure if she wanted to share what had happened earlier. A resigned sigh came over the line.

 _-Pinned me to the wall and kissed me until we were both almost blue in the face._ ** _That_** _affectionate.-_

Now that was certainly out of character for Issei. She wished she had been there to get in on the action. For some reason, he still didn't see her and Reyas actions as true romantic affection.

"I hope Yui wasn't in eyesight…" Momo said cautiously.

Reya had caught the last full sentence from Kaori, and was now paying _very_ close attention. The two of them had a conversation pertaining to upping their game just the other day.

The only thing holding them back, had been the agreement between them and the kendo duo.

 _-She was.-_ Kaori admitted.

 _-When he was done with me, he gave her a hug that was so close that I was almost jealous he didn't do that instead, then kissed her on the cheek before bouncing up to his room.-_

Momo thought for a moment, moving her hand from Reyas shoulder, to stroke her long silky hair. The other bishop gave a content sigh, melding back into her friends side.

"Then something must have happened between the two. But you're first words make it seem like you're certain things didn't go too far. Otherwise I think you'd be with him, a few pieces of clothing removed, rather than talking to me."

Momo smirked at the embarrassed groan that came to her ear, as Reya giggled in amusement.

- _Do devils have no shame? Seriously, It makes me think you're all just ready to get naked at a moments notice.-_

Momo stopped stroking Reya, and sat up towards the edge of the bed.

"I don't hear you denying it. We're more susceptible to our urges, but we _are_ able to control ourselves."

Reya sat up, snatching the phone from Momos hand, and placing it to her own ear. She gave Momo a wink before speaking.

"Hello Kaori. So tell me, how long will it be, before I can blasphemously scream his name to the heavens. I'm counting the days until I can have him thrusting into me so hard that I can't see straight."

Hearing the human choke on air on the other end of the line was music to her ears. Momo covered her mouth so she wouldn't burst out laughing, making the situation worse.

 _-Why are we friends again?-_ Kaoris voice lacked any emotion, Reya gave the girl credit for how fast she recovered. She hoped that it was a sign that all limitations to the truce would be called off soon.

- _Whatever, no sex, and anything else is fair play.-_

Reya smirked, and decided to play with the girl just a bit more.

"Oh? So if I wanted and he was willing, I could take that throbbing hard-"

Momo quickly snatched the phone back from her friend, and gave a her a tap on the head, for antagonizing the human girl.

"Bad Reya, down girl."

Reya stuck her tongue out towards Momo, wholly unrepentant for her actions.

"Sorry about that Kaori, she's getting…antsy."

Momo laid herself down, legs hanging off the side of the bed, her free hand resting on her stomach.

- _I know, I know. How are you holding up?-_

There were a few ways she could answer that question. Momo could go into the nitty gritty of how she was keeping herself composed when around a certain pawn, but she knew that Kaori would just pull back.

It was best to let her infer the details, rather than lay it all out. Reya had obtained a certain, battery operated device, that she used to ease the tension.

Momo had decided against doing the same, preferring to take a more personal approach. Warm fingers were much better than room temp silicone in her opinion.

Kaori did not want to her about that.

Momo and Reya didn't disagree on much, sex was one of only three topics. Reya tried to persuade Momo to use her new toy, saying that it would make her _real_ first time more enjoyable, not having to go through the pain of her hymen tearing.

Momo however, believed that it was a part of the experience and connection between lovers. She wanted that experience in its entirety.

"I want more. How _much_ more, I don't know."

 _-I get it. It's the same for me.-_

There was silence over the phone as the two girls thought about their perceived boundaries.

"How's Yui coming along?" Reya asked from the side, back to her composed self.

Momo brought the phone away from her ear, and put it on speaker so they could all converse easier.

The question was repeated, just in case Kaori had missed it.

 _-That's actually a part of the reason I called.-_

The two devils gave each other a confused look briefly.

 _-Yui is…close, I think. She had a talk with his mom today, that seemed to help give her a little more courage. She snuck into his room again tonight.-_

Reya smiled along with Momo. That was mostly good to hear.

 _-But now his mom wants to talk to the 4 of us. She knows that we're all looking to be in a relationship with him…together.-_

The smile dropped off their faces. They hadn't really considered how to explain things to his parents. The shared thought had been, to just hide it from them.

 _-Look, this whole thing is still confusing to me. I don't know even how a monogamous relationship truly works, let alone…whatever this is. But I know Issei, and honesty is something he values very highly. I think we should be as honest with her as possible, without going into the whole…devil part.-_

 **-LineBreak-**

Issei watched from his state of astral projection, as Yui once again snuck into his bed. The first time he saw her do it, he felt both nervous and embarrassed. It was something that seemed so intimate. But his pink haired friend was always the quicker one to lash out. So he was sure that Yui would let him know if she didn't like anything that transpired, that she didn't like.

The third time he was aware of it happening, he noticed the way she relaxed after she settled in. That was how he got over the negative thoughts, and just enjoyed the moment.

Issei greatly enjoyed the thought of him being the thing she sought for comfort.

Seeing her come into his room tonight was a little different. She didn't look like she came in for whatever comfort he afforded her. This time, she looked like she was trying to work herself up for something. What it was, he didn't know.

 _'You and I both know that's not true Ise.'_ Elsha thought to him.

They had been practicing his projection yet again, to see how long he could hold himself and the Norsefire Dragon at a distance. Tonight they had floating 500 hundred feet in the air for about 40 minutes.

'What if i'm wrong though? It could ruin our friendship if I just assume that she's interested in me that way.'

That was why he hadn't really done anything after Kaori confessed to him, not even give her a reply.

Kaori said that she didn't want things to change. Issei took it to mean that, even though she said she was in love with him, she didn't want a relationship.

Honestly, it was all very confusing. Why bother telling him then? Being able to kiss her without fear was pretty awesome though.

 _'Trust me when I say, you're not wrong. She just needs some time to get it out.'_

Since the events at the end of his day with Rias, Issei had been in a mindset close to his old middle school days. The two of them had silently agreed, not to talk about what transpired in that dimly lit room.

As such, he made no attempts to stop himself from taking in the image of Elsha, who'd decided that she would only appear in clothes inside the boosted gear, or when he finally manifested her for others to see. So far, this trick had been his little secret. His selfish desire, to keep her to himself

Back to the topic at hand, If Yui noticed his rerouted blood flow, it wasn't apparent.

'I should talk to her.' He thought, more to himself than to Elsha.

 _'That you should. We'll end things here for tonight.'_ She dispersed into scattering golden particles.

Pulling himself from the projected state had gotten much easier over time, and no longer threatened to make him nauseous.

His eyes remained closed, as he felt Yui drape his arm over her like she usually did. He pulled her closer gently, almost an automatic reaction now, as he thought about what to say to her. He'd momentarily forgotten that he was pitching a tent.

Stiffening for only a moment, Yui mumbled to herself.

"What the hell are you dreaming about, damn thing is rock hard."

And poking right into the gap between her upper thighs. It wasn't the first time she'd experienced it, but this one was definitely more pronounced. She had become aware that, 'morning wood' was most definitely _not_ a myth. The jury was still out on 'blue balls'.

Issei could feel his entire body heat up, embarrassed by her description. Elsha often had that effect on him, even without him touching her. The worst time, was when she started dancing…naked.

"Sorry." He whispered, forgetting that he had still been pretending to sleep, until he thought of the right words to say.

If it weren't for the fact that she was being held in place, Yui would have jumped out of the bed when his voice startled her.

"You're awake?!" She asked in a quiet and high pitch whisper.

Not wanting to make the situation awkward with his current state, Issei went to move his arm away.

Yui wasn't letting that happen, and firmly held onto the limb. Her thumb stroked the hardened and warmer than normal skin, a habit she'd developed after she snuck in just after his reincarnation.

"Yea. Something seemed off, when I noticed you coming in. I thought you might want to talk."

A soft smile crossed her lips, and she held the arm a little firmer for a moment. A gesture that said she appreciated him wanting to comfort her, not that Issei had done anything different whenever he thought she was upset.

"Is there? Something you want to talk about, I mean."

Yui bit her lower lip lightly, the anxiety she felt over the subject coming back full force.

Now she was almost regretting coming in his room. She wasn't ready to say it, not yet.

"Do I have to-?"

 _Say I love you? Do I have to be okay as one of many? Do I have to be willing to sleep with you to prove it, to have my feelings reciprocated? Do I have sleep with them? Do I have to be held at a lower standing because i'm human?_

 _Do I have to?_

She wanted to barrage him with these questions, but she was just too scared to. The answers could be scarier than she was able to handle.

"You don't have to do anything that makes you uncomfortable." He answered.

Even though he hadn't heard her thoughts, his response covered all of them.

Issei wasn't good with reading between the lines with most of the girls he was around all the time. But it seemed as though he had a greater understanding, when it came to Kaori and herself.

Momo and Reya would have to set him straight soon, or their chances might just be ruined. If Sona was serious about that whole marriage thing, she had even more work ahead of her.

Yui would have included Rias in that scenario too, but she had obviously made her interest known today, if his affectionate giddiness was anything to go by. She wanted to hear the details of what happened, to have such an effect on him.

"Did I overstep, with the kiss on the cheek?"

 _More like, didn't step far enough._ Was what she wanted to say.

Issei was watching, and feeling for how she would respond. He was trying to get any nonverbal admissions, that he was right.

The girl in his arms, along with the one down the hall, were immensely important to him. They were people he could trust, people he could rely on, and they had given him his family back.

Their beauty was just a bonus, both inside and out.

Yes, they beat on him every so often, but it was acknowledged and agreed upon from the beginning. If he slipped, they'd give a physical corrective measure.

Behind that though, were two young women who wanted to help someone that acknowledged there was a problem. Someone who wanted to better himself, just as they did everyday with their kendo training.

"I don't want you to treat Kaori and I differently." She mumbled.

It wasn't an answer to either of his questions, verbal or nonverbal. But in a way, it was an answer to both.

With anyone else, he probably wouldn't have understood, and asked her to clarify what she meant. But spending nearly everyday with them, let Issei understand.

He hadn't overstepped, but she would've liked a kiss like the one he had shared with Kaori. She wasn't ready to say it, but she did love him.

If he ended up being wrong about any of this, Yui was sure to reprimand him.

'What was it Matsuda said, after watching that one American movie?'

Ah, thats right. _Gotta risk it, to get the biscuit._

In other words, go for it.

With his arm that wasn't around her, Issei propped himself up, the movement making her look over her shoulder.

Her grip hadn't let his arm go, and Issei used that to turn Yui onto her back, leaving her halfway underneath him.

She looked curious about his movements, and also a bit nervous because of the position they were in. Her grip relaxed enough for him to remove his hand, bringing it up to her cheek.

Her eyes widened, her mouth opening slightly, asking a silent question. The hand she that had been holding his with, came to rest on the back of the palm against her cheek as he smiled down at her.

In that one instant, she saw that he understood. Issei understood that she just couldn't open herself up like that yet, that it would take time.

That smile said to her, that while he'd wait until she was ready to vocalize it, he'd still give her what she wanted in the mean time. To feel like she mattered to him just as much as any of the others, if not more so.

"I know you think its wrong, but I care about the two of you very much, and I want you to be a part of my life for as long as you're willing. Once you are ready, i'll tell you just how much."

Without giving her any chance to respond, Issei lowered himself towards her.

For a brief second, Yui tried to back her head away from his, before she caught herself. This is what she wanted, there was no reason to shy away now.

She closed her eyes just before his lips made contact with hers.

Once they had, Yui wondered what she was so afraid of. The only time she'd ever felt even slightly hurt by Issei, was when he lied about the devils. He'd never aim to hurt her.

The kiss started off chaste, just a light touching of one pair of lips on another.

The warmth and relief Yui felt gave her the courage to go for more.

Her hands came up, and grabbed the sides of his face, holding him in place, letting him know that she wanted more.

The pressure between them increased a bit, and Yui opened her lips, taking things a step further then Kaori had so far.

Their tongues danced against each others, for what seemed like hours. Moving, twirling, tasting, it was a blur to them as they each got lost in this new aspect of their friendship/relationship.

Yui knew that she'd regress into her fears once the morning came, so she wanted to be at least one more step ahead of Kaori before then.

She grasped the hand held to her cheek, dragging it against her yellow buttoned pajama shirt. Yui brought it down to the hem, and slid underneath.

She wanted to squirm at the feeling of his hand lightly skimming her bare skin. Hip to stomach, stomach to torso, torso to chest, his touch felt like a small electric current before it came to rest where she was aiming.

His fingers brushed against the underside of her breast, sweeping from her sternum towards her side. She gasped into the kiss, the feeling was different then she'd expected. It was like Issei was caressing her very heart, as the nerves fired off.

She felt his excitement renew, as it brushed against the top of her left thigh.

He cupped her breast, letting her feel the warmth of his larger hand, before giving a light squeeze.

Breathless and in need of air, the two pulled apart.

Her pink eyes looked into his light brown, almost copper.

Yui was surprised by how well she was taking their position. She didn't feel like she was subjugated, controlled by him, like she thought her first experience of this kind would be.

She welcomed it. Like this, she could _say_ anything, _do_ anything.

"Tell me, Issei. I need to hear you say it." Even to her own ears, her voice had never sounded… _seductive,_ like it did right now.

His glazed eyes refocused onto her, as he caught his breath.

Another squeeze to her breast, and he smiled, inching closer but no contact being made.

"I love you, Yui Katase. Even if you can't say it yet, I know you love me too. I want to make you happy, I want you to _be_ happy. I want to-"

He couldn't say anymore, as she had leaned up to kiss him again. The only ones that mattered right now, were the two of them. The devils be damned, the world be damned, right now he was _hers._

They kissed passionately, they explored each others bodies as much as she was comfortable with, through their hands. For tonight, they were just…together.

 **-LineBreak-**

When she woke up in the morning, Yui didn't care about her topless state, or the warm object she felt prodding her from the gap between her thighs yet again. In a state of fading bravery, she rolled her hips backwards.

The warmth from the protrusion could be felt even through both articles of thin cloth that were their underwear. As her hips rolled forward to their original place, her breath hitched as a particular spot was caressed. She wanted to do it again, but her strength had drained away, and it was time to get up.

She hadn't returned the words, but in time she would. Until then, she was more than happy to just enjoy the affection given to her.

Buttoning her pajama shirt, Issei started to wake, and a realization came to her.

Her groan brought him to open his eyes and look at her.

"Something wrong?" Issei asked innocently.

Buttons secured, Yui put her face in her hands.

"I'm in a harem…" The words made it sound like her very life was ending.

Sitting up, Issei tilted his head.

"Is 2 girls considered a harem?"

She watched as Issei tried to hide his morning wood, moving the blankets to his lap.

With a shake of her head, and a sigh, Yui turned to get ready for school.

"Sometimes, you're an idiot."

She saw his lopsided grin as he stood up, apparently deeming his condition dealt with.

"I love you too Yui."

It was clear that Issei wanted to make her more comfortable with the words being tossed around, but just as she thought last night, the words felt like hardening cement in her mouth, and she couldn't say them.

Instead she turned around, flicking him in the center of the forehead, before a quick and light kiss on the lips.

 **-LineBreak-**

In the student council office, Sona stared at her friend with wide, unbelieving eyes. Her glasses nearly falling from her face.

"How?" Her voice was quiet, the disbelief clear in her tone.

Surely there was another explanation here. Alcohol or drugs, being the main ones coming to mind. But neither Rias nor Issei were that type of person, Sona knew that for a fact. Pure blooded devils were also resistant to such human things, so it was impossible that she'd been drugged by someone else.

"It's the only explanation I can come up with Sona. It was too specific, to be anything else." Rias said, her bright red face turned to the side, unable to look at her friend.

Issei had somehow channeled her oldest family trait, one that neither she or her sister were too attuned with. Her mother being from the now extinct Gaap house, being the cause of that.

It was there, just in a very diluted way, an occasional thought that was easily pushed aside. It was how Sona reasoned that her sister felt the need to wear such revealing costumes all the time.

Clearing her throat, Sona pushed for more information.

"And…then?" She had felt the change in Issei yesterday afternoon, it wasn't that rare of an occurrence really, but it happened mostly at night when she figured he was asleep. The one she felt yesterday was easily more potent than any of the others, Sona thought that maybe Rias had accidentally shown more then she meant to.

Rias pulled her crossed arms tighter against herself.

"The traits…mixed."

Having regained her composure, Sona placed her chin against steepled hands.

'Mixed? What does she-' The lightbulb went off, and suddenly she knew why Rias was so embarrassed.

With a controlled tone, hiding the amusement she felt from Rias being on the other end for once, Sona asked Rias the most important question.

"Did you have sex with my pawn?"

Rias shook her head violently. "NO!"

The embarrassment doubled, and the Gremory heiress mumbled something not even a devils ears could pick up.

"Come again?"

Those had apparently been the wrong words to use, as Rias looked like she was about to cry from how mortified she was.

"I didn't hear you Rias, please repeat what you said." Sona said, using words that in no way could be misunderstood.

"I…did it…solo."

Sona understood how admitting that to someone else could be embarrassing…if they were human, or had been. But devils had no such barriers in regards to masturbating. Hell, her sister had given her a live step-by-step tutorial when she was 10. That was a memory she wanted to erase from her mind, to the point that she'd asked around for someone to alter her memories. No one would…they all just laughed at her.

Something in the wording seemed off though.

"When you got home?"

Rias shook her head.

"The clubroom in the old school building?"

She shook her head again. Sona was running out of places she thought Rias would be comfortable doing such a thing.

"Akenos shrine?"

Rias snapped her head towards her, embarrassed tears flinging from her eyes as she shouted.

"IN THE STORE! I FINGERED MYSELF ON THE FLOOR OF A MANGA SHOPS PORN SECTION! KNEES BENT, PUSSY SPREAD OPEN, THREE KNUCKLES DEEP! FOR FUCKS SAKE SONA, I CAME SO HARD IT SOAKED THE CHEST PORTION OF MY DRESS WHEN I **SQUIRTED**! I KEPT TWITCHING FROM IT RUBBING MY NIPPLES WITH EACH STEP! I WAS IN SUCH A HAZE AFTERWARDS, I DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE WHAT I'D DONE UNTIL THIS MORNING!"

Sona was of two minds at the moment. One side acknowledged that this was indeed, a horribly embarrassing incident, caused by something no devil knew could happen.

But on the other side…it was quite possibly the funniest thing she'd ever heard.

 _Finally_ , Rias had something even close to her most embarrassing moment. She would readily admit, that Rias had gotten the award on this one. Mostly because she'd done it on the floor of a dirty store. There was one more thing she wanted to know.

"First off, 'pussy' is such a harsh term. Secondly, where was Ise?"

Putting her face in her hands, Rias sat back down in her chair, having stood up as she ranted.

Surely Rias had done that once Issei had left the room…right?

"Right in front of me." It was the weakest she'd ever heard Rias speak.

"He…saw you?" Sona asked hesitantly.

"Issei. Saw. Everything."

Crossing her arms, Sona gave Rias her hindsight advice.

"I think having sex with him would've been the better choice."

 **END!**

 **Answer Time!**

 **comment #1: Issei is too nice.**

 **Answer: He's 16, dealing with trying to fit in to a new group of friends, just like every other high school teenager. A large portion of teens will change based on those around them. His love for women, and desire to make his friends happy is really the only defining feature he has at this point.**

 **He hasn't had those moments that set certain personality traits in stone yet. But they are coming.**

 **comment #2: Put Rias in da harem!**

 **Answer: You'll just have to wait and see. I believe i've said this before, but their relationship will be up and down until its end point. This will be determined and finalized in the Riser arc.**

 **comment #3: Sona is the VP, yet her peerage calls her kaichou.**

 **Answer: Yes.**

 **Just kidding, I wouldn't leave this one answered. She is the VP currently. They call her Kaichou, as a recognition of authority. She is the acting president at the moment though.**

 **Now onto the family trait thing, that came up in this chapter.**

 **Its directly from what wikipedia says demonology lists as each ones trait, their ability.**

 **Gremory comes in the form of a beautiful _woman. He_ makes man love woman, and vice versa.**

 **The way I interpreted that to fit into the DxDverse, is that the gremorys are lustful devils with more feminine features, and they have rather high sex drives.**

 **Sitri can make one bare themselves naked. Again another lustful devil. I don't know if Lady Sitri was ever elaborated in canon, but I don't think so. Since the sitri family is known for water magic, I said she was from the Gaap family, because that is their trait.**

 **This is why Rias felt the need to strip herself.**

 **As for the Issei and Katase bit. He's still on an emotional high of sorts, and he hasn't had that heartbreak from Raynare. So he isn't nearly as reluctant to admit his feelings.**

 **If something isn't as clear as it should be, let me know. It may be something that i'm being purposely vague about, to add in next chapter, or I just forgot.**


	15. One word to bring it down

**Hello Hello everyone! I hope all of you are ready! Whats a good story without a bit of drama? Tell me, longer chapters, or these shorter ones that I can get done faster?**

Issei never held the same disdain for Monday, that the rest of the school seemed to. Today especially, he was up and ready to go. Sure school sucked, but the people around him made it enjoyable.

His date with Rias yesterday, and the events with Yui last night revitalized him.

Sitting at the table, surprisingly, was all 5 residents of the Hyoudou household.

His father was seated at the head, sipping on his coffee and reading the paper before heading to work.

His mother had just taken the spot to his right, after placing their breakfast on the table. She looked especially pleased, seeing a full table all ready to dig in to her labors.

She had been watching carefully, making sure that her husband didn't have any more outbursts, especially not with the girls at the table. He'd been better lately, but it was better safe than sorry. She didn't want to be caught off guard like that again.

The hot frying pan in her hand, had almost met the top of his head when Issei walked into the room. He wasn't even facing the same direction as their son, but somehow knew Issei was there.

His face twisted into a scowl, as Issei clipped on the bracelet she was sure he'd lost ages ago. Just as quick as that scowl formed, it was gone, and she let the pan back down to the stove.

"Hey dad, how long is this project supposed to last anyway?" Issei asked once he sat down at the opposite end, Yui and Kaori to each of his sides.

Setting the mug down on the table, Koji lowered the paper to speak with his son.

"Not a clue, every time we think all the details are finalized, the buyer changes one detail or another. What they need 500 different material compositions is beyond me." He answered, before going back to the paper.

His father was an acquisition specialist. He handled larger orders brought in, seeking the materials or services for whatever their customer needed.

This particular order had been in the works for a while now. It sounded like it originated from a cosplay company. They wanted mock armor pieces, staffs of different and specific designs, eye glasses, shields, swords.

Every item on the list had a very specific material composition to it. His father seemed to be having a hard time finding places to make all of it within a reasonable amount of time.

"You're leaving already? Don't your classes start at 9? It's only 7:45." His mother asked, as Issei stood up, grabbing his plate to be cleaned.

The others were all still in the middle of their meal. The two girls didn't look like they were planning to head out anytime soon either. The walk to Kuoh Academy only took 20 minutes, and thats if you had to stop at each and every intersection for traffic.

Rinsing the plate off to cleaned easier, Issei turned towards his family.

"Yea, I have to meet up with the VP. We're handing out eval forms to all the classes, to get input on how the co-ed thing is working. They need to be filed and tallied before the summer break."

Setting her utensils down, his mother tapped her chin, curious about something about his school that she hadn't heard about yet.

"It sounds like the vice president does all the work. Where is the president in all of this?"

Drying his hands off with the freshly washed hand towels, Issei walked to the fridge to grab a bottle of water to go.

"On some sort of study abroad program apparently. She's supposed to be coming back for the fall term. What was her name again?"

Issei twirled the bracelet around his wrist, something he did when lost in thought.

"Ayla something…Ballet? No, Billow? Belize?"

He stood there, the women of the house watching him try to remember, when Mr Hyoudou spoke without really thinking about what the outcome would be.

"Belet."

Snapping his fingers, giving a thankful smile towards his father for helping him get the name right. It wouldn't do for him to _not_ know who the leader of the student council technically was.

"That's it! Wait…how'd you know that, is she well known or something?"

Slamming down the last quarter cup of coffee he had, Koji Hyoudou scrambled to get himself out of there before too many questions could be asked.

"Would you look at the time! Better head to work! Love you honey, see ya later kids."

Only grabbing his wallet and keys, he bolted out of the front door like a man possessed, forgetting his briefcase that held the details of what he needed to work on this morning.

Kaori and Yui glanced from Issei to the direction his father had gone, just as confused as he was at what had just happened.

His mother though, held a terrifyingly familiar look. Her face was absolutely blank, the happy air around her evaporating like water on hot coal. The girls didn't know what to make of it, when they saw Issei suddenly shrinking back, away from the woman he loved above almost everything else.

Issei managed to swallow his fear, enough to try and speak. That look she had, it brought phantom pains of a day a long time ago. One he'd never forget, and never wanted to repeat.

"U-umm…M-mom?"

Her eyes never moved, nor did her body.

"Girls, please go get ready for school." Yui and Kaori were worried from the tone of her voice, and the way it made Issei start to shake lightly, his eyes fixed on her back.

The woman that sat before them, was not the same warm and caring one they'd come to know and love. Right now, she was frigid, like she wanted nothing more than to cut all ties with everyone around her.

The only thing they had to do, was to grab their bags from upstairs. But there was no way they were about to disobey Honoka Hyoudou right now. Leaving Issei to whatever fate was to befall him, they got up and went to sit in the guest room they'd taken over.

 _ **[Why are you afraid of this human, Partner? Dragon tamer or not, your mother or not, she is nothing compared to you now.]**_ Ddraig had been woken up by the bombardment of fear coursing through his host. The red dragon was taking it easy the last few weeks, letting Elsha handle most aspects of his training.

He would take over once things got serious, once there was an opponent that was worthy of his attention.

Issei was also very attached to the previous host, for reasons Ddraig still didn't understand.

The young man didn't answer, too shaken, and not willing to take his undivided attention away from his mother.

"Issei." He flinched as she spoke to him, more frightened right now, than he had been in a long time.

"Y-yes Mother?"

Ddraig watched as his host slipped into a more distant and formal pattern then he'd seen since meeting Issei.

It took more work on the dragons part to be aware of the current surroundings, thanks to the bracelet.

They had discovered that Fafnirs bracelet was only supposed to dull the senses, not completely turn them down to human levels. Being that Issei had first placed it on his left wrist, which was his dominant hand, it completely sealed him off. The boosted gear may be attached to his soul, but the power still originated from his left hand.

Issei was not yet powerful enough to overcome the seals placed on the jewelry. But at least with it on his right wrist, Ddraig and Elsha could communicate with him if they just concentrated a bit harder.

The heightened emotions of his host were helping Ddraig get passed the magic.

"Sit." She pointed towards the chair his father had just vacated.

Slowly, shakily, Issei complied.

Once he did, his eyes stayed on the table.

He heard his mother move, and something coming to rest on the table, just out of view.

"Look at me."

She had her elbow on the table, her fingers curled in except for her pinky finger. Issei felt his stomach drop, as his heart felt like it would burst.

He didn't want to do this. He loved it when he was a little kid, because it made him feel like an adult. But now...he felt like he was staring down a firing squad.

It felt like he was moving in slow motion, as he put his own hand on the table, ever so slowly linking his pinky with hers.

His hand was sweating as she tightened their locked fingers together.

"Now, no lies, understood?"

He nodded weakly.

"Have you used the computer recently?"

His tongue was lead in his mouth, as his body started to feel a case of vertigo come over it.

"Yes."

Her eyes narrowed.

"When?"

"Tuesday and Wednesday, for my Econ paper."

His mother linked their fingers together a little harder.

" _Anything_ else?"

Issei shook his head no. This felt just like before. It was like she hated him all over again.

"T-there…" Issei cleared his throat.

"There was a pop-up though, a full-screen one."

He could see her jaw clench, obviously understanding.

"Be descriptive, but not vulgar."

Issei had to wonder if her dragon tamer trait was making him even more afraid of disappointing her now, because it certainly felt that way.

"It was one of those webcam sites. The girl was dancing before she started taking off clothes. It was a loop video, and started over when she was naked and laid on the bed."

He could see her nostrils flaring a bit, she was very upset right now.

"Did you do anything that would bring that pop-up to our computer?"

Issei immediately shook his head.

"No mother."

It was like his finger was being pressed in a vice right now, as his mother seemed to develop supernatural strength.

"Do _not_ lie to me. This would be the fourth time since you started high school, i'm _sick_ of lies." She hissed.

Hearing that from her was like a shot to the heart. Issei _never_ wanted to lie to her, if the situations weren't beyond normal human things. He really should have expected her to know he'd lied about the youth leader trip that was actually his training with Tannin. The others were small and inconsequential, but still…he'd lied. He _did_ know why his father was lashing out at him. And _yes_ , it did hurt.

His light body shaking returned, and he couldn't maintain eye contact.

"I'm not lying. I closed it without clicking on anything else. I swear mother."

He would pray, if it wouldn't cause him a migraine, that his mother wouldn't dig any deeper into anything else.

"Fine." He slowly let out the breath that he'd been holding onto.

"Where did you go for golden week?" When he flinched, her grip became tighter, her other fist clenched.

Issei stayed silent. He couldn't lie to her, so his only option was to not answer. They hadn't done this in a _long_ time, but when he was 5 they agreed to only tell the truth during the pinky promise conversations.

It was how she found out about him looking at porn in the first place, when he was a kid.

"Answer me." He wanted to. Issei wanted to tell her anything she wanted to know, but he was afraid of what would happen if she found out he'd become a creature that resided in the lake of fire, in _Hell_.

"Mother…please." But he couldn't, those were the rules as laid out by Sona. Humans couldn't be made aware of the supernatural, unless they were affiliated in some way.

"You are _my son!_ I have every right to know what it is you're doing…even more so, if it's leading you down the wrong path. How do I know that you're not out there committing crimes, when you say you're doing school functions? How do I know that the cops won't be here to arrest you for sexual harassment or _rape?_!" She exploded, both of their pinky fingers nearly turning blue from the force of her grip.

Old habits die hard.

Her husband had apparently been browsing the internet for naked, young women again. Was she not good enough for him? Not attractive enough? Too old? Not willing to do whatever strange thing he was in to? The anger brought about by his actions had quickly been shifted onto figuring out why her son had been lying to her about a few things.

"…The underworld…" Issei said quietly.

Honoka Hyoudou stopped, looking at her son like he was crazy.

"Excuse me?"

Issei gathered the courage to look his mother in the eyes and tell her the truth.

"I went to the underworld, hell, during golden week. I was training to get stronger, to fight a devil."

It was the truth, but he knew that without further context, it just sounded crazy.

"Get out."

She threw his hand away from her, standing up violently, sending the chair down to the ground.

Issei stared at her, wide eyed.

Her anger mixed with the frustration. Her eyes were becoming bloodshot, as tears built up.

"Why?" Her voice shook as she tried to hold it together just a bit longer.

"Why are you lying to me? What are you hiding?"

He heard the stairs creak, One or both of the girls must have been standing there. His mother didn't notice it, and kept escalating into a frantic state.

"Is it drugs? Are you in a gang? Do the girls know? Is _that_ why they all want to be with you?"

She covered her mouth with her hands, her voice was muffled by the shaky appendages.

"Is this payback for how awful I was to you? Because I beat you?"

Issei heard two gasps from the stairs. Then saw a flash of blue come from the living room.

Issei might not hate _every_ Monday. But he sure hated this one.

 **This is a set up for the reveal of the supernatural to his parents, plus Sona and Issei spending more time together.**

 **Yes yes, i'm Evil. I know. =)**


	16. A Failure to Predict

_Fear._

Sona felt it flood her entire being, like nothing ever had. She had been stacking the evaluation forms with her queen, knight and rook, when she nearly collapsed onto the floor.

All three girls were by her side in an instant, helping her up. She couldn't focus on anything they might have been saying, instead trying to pinpoint what it was, that had driven her pawn to such extremes so quickly.

'To even override the bracelet with such potency…' She thought.

When he had it on his right wrist, she knew that she'd only feel the bare minimum of their connection. Enough to know if he was safe or in danger, but that was it.

The fear pulsing through him right now, made it seem like he was being held against the point of a seraphs light spear.

Standing on unsteady legs, Sona moved away from her peerage, ignoring them as they called out to her, and formed a circle a few feet from where she stood.

She needed to get to him.

A transportation circle didn't act the way Issei tried to rationalize it. It wasn't like the technique his favorite anime character could do. Instant transmission, or something like that.

Sona had eventually gotten him to understand it, by using one of the two video games she'd ever played for comparison.

The short Italian plumber enters the tube through point 'A'. Everything between him and point 'B' is squished together like a vacuum sealed bag, to shorten the distance. Then he appears at the desired exit point.

It wasn't the best explanation, but at the time, Sona didn't want to go into the details of dimensional travel.

 _I wonder if sound echoes through it then...?_

It was his attempt at making a stupid joke, but the fact of the matter is, that sound _does_ travel through. Sona stopped just before entering the circle, to hear what was happening on the other side.

"... _During golden week. I was training to get stronger, to fight a devil."_ Her pawns voice sounded like an echo in a metal chamber. But the unease in his tone was clear as day.

The 4 devils in the room waited to hear what was next, as Sona had a suspicion of who he was talking to. She was hoping to be wrong.

"Why is Hyoudou revealing the supernatural?" Tsubaki asked, her tone as even as it ever was. She had yet to call him by anything other than his last name. It wasn't because she didn't like him, Tsubaki told Sona in private that she was actually looking forward to getting to know him better as well.

She just needed to get over her anxiety of dropping her guard around men.

Tsubaki, Yura and Tomoe looked to their king, waiting for an answer.

"Yea, he knows we have to keep it secret." Tomoe added, rolling from her heels to her toes.

The one in the room to spend the most time with him however, stayed quiet.

Yura didn't have the same connection with Issei, that Momo and Reya did. She knew enough about him though, to realize something wasn't right, just by his tone.

 _"Get out."_

The breath was knocked from Sona's lungs, as fear turned to pain. It wasn't physical pain, but she would have rather felt that, compared to this emotional torture.

Her pawn was experiencing an emotional rollercoaster. With her upbringing, Sona doubted she was even capable of feeling this way about her family.

Her magic circle started to fade, as her concentration was slipping away. Being the dutiful queen she was, Tsubaki took over, and the circled flared back to life.

"How bad is it kaichou?"

Sona had fallen to one knee, slowly bringing herself back up with a hand on her desk.

"Crippling" It was the only way to describe it.

Sona was finding it hard to think, let alone do anything else. She needed to buck up and get to him.

The bracelet was keeping at least half of the turmoil away from her, so she couldn't imagine that Issei was able to do anything but stare into the distance right now, his mind a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts and emotions.

 _"Why? Why are you lying to me? What are you hiding?"_

"Call Momo and Reya, get them here as soon as possible. I'm going alone." Sona declared firmly.

Because things were already bad enough, adding new faces into the mix wouldn't make it easier. This was a mental battle, not physical, not magical.

 _"Is it drugs? Are you in a gang? Do the girls know? Is that why they all want to be with you?"_

Tsubaki rose a brow at that part, wondering who his mother was talking about in her hysterical rant.

Sona stepped into the circle, making it flash as she was transported to the home of her pawn.

As the circle died, they heard his mother one more time.

 _"Is this payback for how awful I was to you? Because I beat you?"_

With the king now gone, the queen took command, taking out her phone to call the two Sona had requested.

Yura stared at where the circle was just a moment ago, concerned for her newest friend.

She didn't know how bad things were on the other side.

What she did know, was that sometimes, a heated moment would leave you with nothing but a lifetime of regret. She hoped Issei wouldn't have to learn that, like she did.

Hopefully Sona could prevent that from happening.

"Bring Momo and report back to the council office immediately." Tsubaki spoke into her phone, to Reya.

"The specifics aren't known yet. Hyoudou caused some sort of reaction with kaichou, she's gone there to-." Tsubaki was cut off, the other two girls turning to look at the queen.

"I see."

The voice from the small speaker was muffled and incoherent for anyone else.

"No, I'm sure she has a plan. Just trust her."

It was what they all needed to do. Sona Sitri was nothing if not dedicated to the task she set for herself, they all knew that.

"Drag her to an alley and teleport out, if you need to. Our king wanted you two here. I'm assuming she intends to bring Issei back with her, you can see him then."

 **-LineBreak-**

It was moments like this, where someone wondered what kind of control one had over their life. Issei sat there in the kitchen, with his mother, realizing how powerless he'd been to avoid this scenario. He felt frozen into the chair, paralyzed almost.

It hadn't been him, but his father to bring his mothers wrath down upon him, however inadvertently.

His lies hadn't been a product of his own accord, but the tale Sona had weaved for him to tell, at least the one his mom was asking about anyway.

And so, because of one choice he made at the beginning of the school term, Issei sat and watched as his mother worked herself up more and more.

The tears and heaving breaths of her being upset were offset by the rage displayed in her blazing eyes and clenched jaw.

Where did he go from here? Telling the truth had done nothing but spin the situation further into its downward spiral. Lying would get him nowhere, he knew that.

And now that Sona had appeared, as he could tell by the blue light in the living room, and the slight flash of black hair he saw at the doorway, how would things change? Could his king help, or would her presence only make things worse?

"Well…?" His mothers voice was shaky, sorrow and rage at war with each other.

There was slight pull at the air, so small that Issei didn't think his mother noticed it. It was then, that Sona decided to make her presence known, rapping her knuckles against the frame of the entryway to the kitchen.

The two Hyoudou's turned to see her shift into full view at the doorway, her passive persona used in school present on her face.

While Issei was slightly glad that she'd come to his aid, he didn't know how she'd become aware of the situation, he wondered if her cold facade would make things worse.

His mother however, began scrutinizing Sona intently, like a new piece of the puzzle had just revealed itself. Light brown, near copper eyes looked over every detail in seconds.

"Pardon me, Mrs Hyoudou, but I believe I may be of assistance." Sona spoke clearly, keeping her eyes on the adult in the room.

Crossing her arms, his mother had a tinge of that anger directed to the new arrival.

"And what brings _you_ here? I don't believe I heard a knock on the door." She was assuming that Sona had just opened the door and walked inside like she owned the place. It didn't paint her in a positive light.

"The door was open. I came to retrieve Issei for our work this morning, and felt it beneficial for me to intervene in your…conversation." Sona answered immediately.

So _that_ was the pull in the air Issei felt, she must have magically opened the door, because the thing creaked pretty loudly under normal circumstances.

"Beneficial how?"

Sona adjusted her glasses, taking a carefully hidden breath to calm herself. Issei noticed that she almost looked… _nervous?_ He didn't understand why that would be. Sona was a high-class devil, and dealt with people far more fearsome than his mother. Well… in terms of physical attributes anyway, his mother could be quite intimidating when she wanted to be.

 ** _[Your emotions are affecting her. It's likely how she knew something was going on.]_** Ddraig answered, surprising Issei. They had a harder time talking with the bracelet on, even if it were on his right wrist. It was possible, it just took a little more from each of them.

But right now, Ddraig was coming through as clear as he would without it. Issei remembered then, being told that a sacred gear responds to emotion, and his were pretty potent at the moment.

"I heard you state, that you were concerned over your sons activities as of late, that he might be involved in something illegal or immoral. I can assure you, that he is not."

Both mother and son gave the pure blood devil a curious look. Issei, because he was curious about just _what_ it was that she'd reveal to placate his mother. Mrs Hyoudou, because some of the thoughts churning in her mind became her primary designation for this girl in front of her.

That being, Souna Shitori was involved with whatever her son had been up to, possibly even being the one in charge.

It fit in her mind perfectly, fitting the image she had of similar young women from her past. The cold and calculating types were always the ring leaders, stringing along someone else by offering them some long desired dream.

For her son, that would have _unfortunately_ involved being around a mass of women. Preferably with the sex drive of a rabbit, and the standards of any bottom feeding organism.

'No! He's been getting better, I know that!' Mrs Hyoudou berated herself. It was her old habits creeping up again. And the two girls upstairs were around before all this mess started. She had no reason to think Issei was around these girls for that reason.

"Issei has been working for me, beginning shortly after he started at Kuoh Academy. I apologize in advance, for I am unable to share much of the details with you as of yet. Everyone involved is under a strict Non-Disclosure agreement. If you require any further proof of my claims, Kaori Murayama can provide it. This work is under the same umbrella corporation that her parents work for, and is owned by my family."

With widened eyes, the only adult in the room glanced between Sona and Issei. Her son looked as though he were ashamed, like he _was_ a part of the life she had accused him of.

But if what Sona said was true, then that just didn't seem possible. The company that Kaori's parents worked for, had the cleanest record of pretty much any major organization in the medical field. They were clear and concise in what practices they were a part of. Each and every product worked for its designated use, as described.

This lead to thoughts on her voiced concerns.

"If he's working for the same group, why did he come home all scraped up during golden week? The Bridgewater Corp is mainly medical groups and research based companies." She knew that, because the company had been in several news segments, going on about global expansion over the last decade and how they were among the most successful after such an explosive growth period.

Adjusting her glasses, Sona glanced at her pawn, who was looking at her like a savior delivered before the final blow claimed his life. Given the particulars of the relationship of this mother and son, that may have been close to the truth.

"Again Mrs Hyoudou, due to the nature of the standard agreement used in each beginning venture, there isn't much I can tell you."

Her violet eyes locked onto his mother, looking as professional as any business person found in the higher tiers of corporate society.

Mrs Hyoudou realized one thing then. She was right to think that Sona was the leader, but she _had_ made a miscalculation. This young woman did not act this way due to her own actions and lessons. It was something bred into her by her family. The elite made sure they stayed elite. A child of such a family would be taught to act in a way to keep their secrets in the dark, read people they might do business with. That cold and calculating persona was through no fault of her own, but her parents.

The gaze behind rimmed glasses softened slightly, struggling to not shift towards Issei. Mrs Hyoudou had another thought, this one regarding the conversation with Yui the other day. The sixth girl was now identified.

"But I know how much your son cares for you, and strives to hold to the standard of honesty you instilled in him. There isn't much I can tell you, but here is what I can."

Mrs Hyoudou was sure of it now. Sona may not be as far along as the two girls living in her home, or those two student council girls, but the young woman in front of her was at the very least interested. She would find out the how and why, of these developing relationships her son had.

"Your son is helping me to establish an educational facility that will be the first of its kind. The richest of the rich, or the poorest of the poor, everyone will have the chance to attend. There will be physical, academic, and spiritual education on par with the most prestigious facilities."

The female devil turned stone cold serious, as she finished.

"This is why you haven't been made aware of what your son is doing. The implications of what we will be doing, will affect a great deal of individuals. If word spread to the wrong people, it would undermine everything i've done to achieve this goal. Allow me to also address any issues of compensation as well, as a working minor and a high school student, this is a concern our company has been adamant we stay within local and federal law. The main payment agreed upon was a performance based stipend to be paid nearing the end of his contract. However, Issei has been performing above our initial hopes, and has recently been approved a bonus of sorts."

Mrs Hyoudou could recall a few brief conversations with Ise about what he might want to do once he was done with school, and teaching was on that list. To hear that he was already actively participating in that very goal made her heart swell with pride. She just wished that there wasn't this secrecy around it.

"And what form does this bonus take?" She asked, still minimally suspicious that there might be some less then appropriate payments given to her son. She was proud of the progress he had made in bettering himself, but as she could attest to, old habits die hard. Those urges would likely always be there for him.

Her son had perked up as well, wanting to hear how he was being rewarded. Issei was also wondering how he had gone above and beyond her expectations of him.

"The Bridgewater Corporation will pay for his education at Kuoh Academy in full. The payment you made will be refunded to you within the week. This is due to the limits placed on minors in terms of compensation, and the taxes they would have to pay. All work related expenses will be paid by me up front, he will not have to worry about any sort of reimbursement process."

That was…a great help actually. The promotion Koji received certainly made paying for the school easier, but there was still a strain placed on them due to the renovations on their home that were still being paid for.

Speaking of Koji, she had just the person to ask about a certain topic, right in front of her.

"Aayla Belet, what kind of person is she?"

The turn in the conversation had Sona raising an eyebrow.

"Why do you ask?"

There were a few less then innocent ways Honoka Hyoudou could answer that. Her suspicions had yet to be absolutely confirmed yet, but the dots were nearly connected already, thanks to the back forth of Issei and Koji.

"I have a good suspicion that your student body president has been participating in activities not in line with your schools guidelines."

And if it turned out to be true, she prayed to any and all deities that Issei stayed far away from her. Surely Yui and Kaori would help with that.

 **-LineBreak-**

Once the four of them were outside, Issei Yui and Kaori saw Sona take a deep breath, her shoulders easing as she released it.

Issei felt similar, they had defused a bad situation that was primed and ready to get worse.

It was still a little early for the kendo girls to be heading out, but they thought it best to leave with Issei, after the events that had just passed. Each of the three girls knew that he might need a shoulder to lean on right now, with how attached to his mother Issei was.

"Kaichou, was that true, what you said in there?" Issei asked, as he felt the tension of the morning easing from himself also. He wasn't sure if his mother was serious about him leaving, but he _really_ didn't want to find out.

"It was a subject I had yet to talk to you about. As a member of my peerage Ise, your tuition is paid for by me. If you wanted to get a doctorate in physics, I would pay for it all."

She knew that Issei was not likely to pursue anything passed a bachelors degree, but the offer would always be there. Devils had long life spans, so there was always the chance that he could go back to school in a few centuries, and she wanted to make it known that she supported that decision.

"Thank you. My dad makes decent money, but I know paying for Kuoh was putting some strain on them."

Issei got quiet for a few more seconds, but had his eyes locked onto Sona as they walked. Yui and Kaori saw an amount of admiration coming from him, that they wished had been on them instead.

"And for helping me out back there, I really cant thank you enough."

Sona gave him a small smile, saying that it was no problem.

The walk to Kuoh was a silent one, but the Sitri Heiress' mind was turning to berating herself.

Strategy was her strong suit, thinking ahead to keep things from going out of her control. Yet having Issei in her peerage was proving how much she truly had left to improve.

When her suspicions had been confirmed about his mother, she should have worked on plans for things like the altercation this morning.

But she hadn't. What were the odds of a member of her peerage being partially turned dragon, and then his mother having dragon _tamer_ traits? They were laughable at best. So abysmally small that Sona had written it off as impossible.

And when it turned out, that was exactly the case, she had done nothing with that information. Issei had already been pretty attached to his mother, from what she'd gathered. His new situation had only exacerbated it.

The tales of a dragon being pushed away by the tamer they bond with, never had happy endings. Death and destruction was the usual result.

Sona had almost let her own actions tear her plans apart.

'What I wouldn't give to had Rias' mental manipulation aptitude.' She thought, waiting for the crosswalk to give them the sign to cross.

Instead of building up that ability, Sona had spent time learning negotiation tactics. She wanted to follow her families footsteps, using words and reputation to get what she wanted. Magical coercion was not what she wanted to use, in order to achieve her goals.

But there was no denying, that the skill would have been helpful this morning. Calling Rias probably would have taken too long as well, with what her friend had revealed this morning.

That was yet another thing put on her plate. Now she would need to get Issei in front of Lord Beelzebub, to see if his pieces were acting up. No peerage member had ever been recorded as able to draw upon the masters family trait, like Issei had yesterday.

It was time she switched tactics, like she'd been planning to do. Her pawns training had been primarily power focused, for the next few weeks until she would hopefully set him to train with Tiamat, she would guide him in strategy.

This would also have the added bonus of prepping him for one of her initial steps that she told Rias of. She was going to teach Issei chess strategies.

Now that things were at least somewhat dealt with at the Hyoudou home, Sona was going to turn her attention to something Mrs Hyoudou brought up. Was the _president_ of her schools student council posting adult oriented videos of herself, while wearing the uniform?

There was little she could do about that damned woman doing it in general, but using the Kuoh uniform was _absolutely_ not going to fly.

'That damn succubus is too good at giving me migraines.'

 **-LineBreak-**

To say the atmosphere in the clubroom was strange, would be underselling it by a large amount. It was clear to everyone that _something_ had happened yesterday between Rias and the only pawn in the Sitri group.

When Akeno had tried to tease it out of her king, Rias had blushed so hard that she couldn't speak, before running away. That was odd, Rias was not the type to shy away. She had walked around the clubroom completely naked, with her, Koneko and Kiba present, and hadn't even bat an eye.

Whatever happened, it must have been _very_ intimate. If she didn't know Rias better, she'd say that her friend had thrown caution to the wind and had sex with him.

She had tried catching the young man, in the first year hallway on several of the breaks between classes, but hadn't seen him at all. She had seen those two kendo girls, but they didn't seem to like her for some reason.

Their faces had gone from glaring to sadly introspective. Something had most definitely happened over the last 24 hours, and not all of it good, she gathered.

Placing the tea tray on the table, Akeno tried her luck in a different way, playing the worried senior card.

"Has anyone seen Issei today?" Her question was mainly directed towards Kiba, since they were in the same year, but if she could get _something_ out of Rias, she'd be happy and work with it.

Kiba shook his head. "I haven't. Normally I see him on the way back from lunch, but he wasn't there at the time."

Rias blushed a little bit, but not nearly as much as she had this morning. She fidgeted in her chair behind the desk.

"That's a shame, I was hoping we could get to know him a bit. I looked for him today, and didn't see him either."

Rias blushed harder. _What happened between you two yesterday?_ Akeno wondered. It was starting to really get under her skin that her friend was being so tight lipped about the whole date.

She hadn't shared a single blip about the entire day.

"We're better off without him." Koneko spoke, picking up a rice krispy treat from her mound of candy.

Akeno had to fight her eyes from widening, as Rias actually _glared_ at the small rook. _Whatever it was…you liked it._ She thought with a snicker. Rias was very protective over those she cared for. Issei had done something right yesterday, that much was clear to her now.

"I don't know about that Koneko, Sona says that he's about as strong as I am now. At this rate, he'll be our ace in the hole for getting Rias free."

Koneko swallowed her sugary treat before retorting.

"Yeah, just to have another guy who only wants to get her naked."

Rias turned her chair to face away from them, but not before Akeno caught the _absolutely_ atomic red blush all over her face.

Oh yes…Issei saw more than just a bit of cleavage yesterday. Akeno was going to have a very good time finding out what happened, and then teasing Rias with it for months.

"I wonder what that would be like, dating a younger guy. I've heard some whispers about how he treats the girls close to him, and I have to admit that i'm a bit curious-"

"Akeno" Rias cut her off. Her tone was obviously meant to be stern, but there was a waver in it that all could hear. The ORC members could all see the blush that had crept up the neck of their king.

"My date with Ise was fine. We walked around and shopped a bit, had lunch, and then went to a manga shop where I found a gift for my nephew. My goal was to get to know him better, and that's what happened."

Akeno peered at her king intently, looking for some subtle sign, something to say what else had happened. Rias was silently telling her to back off, to stop prying.

Akeno gave a small bow of her head, but the teasing smile never left. Rias wouldn't be able to hold out forever, whatever happened was going to come out eventually.

"Would you go out with him again?" Kiba spoke up, as he picked up the book he'd been reading for the last few days.

Akeno waited, as Rias seemed to carefully consider her response, even Koneko seemed interested in what their master would say.

"At some point, yes. We both have busy schedules, so a second date will probably have to wait a while."

That was when Akeno figured something had to have embarrassed Rias. Other than school work or stray hunts, the ORC really didn't do much. She could see Issei claiming a busy schedule, with his training, student council work, and the kendo club. But besides a few meetings here and there, Rias usually did as she pleased when she had free time.

Other than the overly affectionate way her brother doted on her, Rias was not embarrassed by much. It made her all the more eager to speak with him.

 **-LineBreak-**

The perception of passing time is a strange thing. For Issei, it had become more noticeable over the last 10 days. From the time he woke up, until leaving for school, seconds seemed everlasting.

While he was on school grounds, it seemed to be the reverse, and the sun would be setting in the blink of an eye. The source of which, was obviously the confrontation he had caused.

Ddraig had berated him for the submission he'd shown to his mother. _A dragon does not bow!_ Issei wondered if that was a big part of the mentality that got him and Albion sealed in the first place.

If the two dragons had been more conscious of what had been going on around them, they might still have their own bodies.

"Ummmm…. Queens gambit?" Issei guessed. Sona had given him a day free of any responsibilities, and then changed tactics. She was teaching him chess strategies, to help him see beyond the current move an opponent was making.

Since the day Sona teleported in, she'd been much more attentive to him. Every morning so far, his king had asked about the mood at home. Every day she asked, he gave the same answer. Tense and quiet.

His mother seemed torn on how to feel. She wasn't cold to him, like she had been before his reform, but she didn't initiate any conversation. It was apparent that she was still upset over him lying to her, but now she had an adequate enough reason for the deception. Sona had provided some documentation about his _employment,_ with a promise for full disclosure once 'phase-1' was completed.

"Close, but no. Tarrasch." Sona reset the board and tried another, testing how much her pawn was retaining. He understood the game well enough. How the pieces moved had only taken a few minutes. But anything more than just reacting was coming slowly.

The relationships with his friends had taken a small turn as well. Yui and Kaori had started alternating which of them climbed into his bed now. Momo and Reya had deemed that he needed to be pressured a little bit more. Each and every kiss had a tongue slipped in now. Reya would occasionally slide a hand over his crotch for an extra measure of torture.

Oddly enough, Yui and Kaori didn't react the way they used to, they simply eyed him for a moment and then continued with the day.

"How about this one?" Sona had placed a knight, pawn and rook out onto the field for the white side, with a pawn and knight beside each other for the black.

Issei found himself glancing up from the board more then he meant to. He couldn't help it, Sona's violet eyes just had a way of drawing him in. No matter how many times he told himself to keep the thoughts away, if they were in close proximity for long enough, he'd remember that dream from when they first met.

"Torre attack." He answered without looking back to the board.

He loved Yui and Kaori, had admitted it to himself and to one of them… But when Sona smiled at him, it was like the problems of the world vanished. He had to shake his head to remember where he was and what he was doing.

'Kings don't get into relationships with servants.' Just like oil and water, they can be close, but they never mix. It was safer not to go down that road.

"Very good Issei" Even though it felt like his brain was going to melt, Issei felt that he had to keep putting everything into his training. Sona told him that they'd have to eventually fill in his parents about his reincarnation. When that day came, Issei wanted to be able to show his parents that he _would_ make something of himself.

When she reset the board, Sona stood from the couch on the opposite side of the table in her office. She was not as developed as Momo, Reya, or Murayama, but watching her take that deep breath, and the movements because of it were still captivating.

'I'm never going to kick this breast fetish, am I?' He asked, more to himself than to either voices residing in his head.

 _"I don't see the problem with appreciating them, so long as you can keep yourself under control."_ While Elsha didn't seem to find issue with his lingering eyes, Ddraig was another matter.

 ** _[You should keep your mind on the training, and not on watching a womans chest. Once you've won your battle, then you'll have earned a reward.]_**

Issei couldn't argue with either ones logic. As long as he kept his head in the game, a little peek here and there wouldn't hurt anything. It wasn't like he was being left completely deprived either. Yui had a habit of holding his hand to her chest while she slept now, her nightgown was often found mostly unbuttoned by morning, giving him full view of those perky mounds.

"Its time that you and I talked about a few things Issei." Sona said, bringing him back to the situation at hand. She had moved to sit at her desk, her serious persona fully in place. With a gesture of her hand, she told Issei to sit across from her.

"Sure thing, what about?" He asked, taking the seat and shifting to get comfortable. It sounded like this might take a while.

Sona steepled her hands on the desk, a move Issei had come to associate with matters that were important and required her full attention.

"While I usually agree with keeping family issues within said family, you are a part of _my_ family now. I'm sorry for the disturbance that occurred because of our…Current president. But I have to ask you to clarify some of the things I and the other heard your mother say."

Issei wilted, knowing where this was most likely going. It wasn't a pleasant memory, and not just because of the physical pain from that day. It hurt to think of it, because in that moment, he hadn't felt like his mother had cared about his well-being at all. Even now, that day gave him the impression that he was expendable in her eyes.

It was stupid, and he knew that it wasn't true. But it didn't matter how much he corrected his thoughts after the fact, that initial feeling had always remained.

"It was years ago, when I was 11, and that was the only time." He started before she had even truly asked. Sona sat back in her chair, ready to listen to the events.

"My mom had already been angry, because she found magazines in my room. She went to go look online for a recipe, and the computer was filled with pictures. She just figured that I was the one who did it."

Sona bounced one leg over the other, trying to ease the uncomfortable feeling radiating to her. Issei _really_ didn't want to talk about this.

"So she hit you." It wasn't a question, as she'd heard his mother admit it. Issei nodded.

"Was it one strike?" He shook his head.

"How many times?" That uncomfortable feeling grew, as Issei hesitated to answer for a moment.

"I don't know." Issei snapped his mouth shut before he said anything more. He didn't want to build any animosity between the people in his life. And saying that he was pretty sure the pain had knocked him out would not make anything better.

"Was it with her hand?" Issei was really starting to wish she would drop the topic. But he still shook his head no. If she asked, he would tell her, but he wasn't about to offer up everything.

"A belt" What part of the belt needn't be mentioned.

"Any injuries?"

"No, just a few red marks." And wasn't that surprising. By all logic, he should have been cut and bruised, with a broken rib or two from that. Issei counted himself lucky that he was of a sturdier build.

Sona could feel the apprehension on this topic, and it was making her stomach twist. He was hiding _something_ , but she couldn't tell what. His mother was going to be an important figure in his life, so she would just have to keep an eye out for any outbursts like that, not for his physical safety, but his mental stability.

"Okay, next topic." She could see and feel Issei relax, and it was like she could breathe comfortably again.

"How do you feel about Rias?" The complete change in the mood of this conversation left him mentally unbalanced for a second.

"U-um…." He wasn't sure what kind of response she was looking for here. Was she asking what he personally felt about her as a person, or as a devil?

"Let me try a different approach. Rias told me what happened in that manga shop." Sona raised a hand to stop whatever Issei was going to say in his defense. She understood that his background would have it seeming like he'd somehow coerced her to do it.

"What happened was no fault of yours, not directly. You channeled something that by all knowledge, shouldn't have been possible. It is very likely to compli-" Sona stopped when a blue circle appeared next to her ear.

Issei watched and waited, as his king listened to the voice on the other end. She had seemed a bit frustrated by the interruption, at least at first.

When her expression became more serious than he was used to, he wondered what was being said.

"It will be done, and reported upon completion." Sona closed the circle, with a flash of irritation on her face.

Without preamble, Sona switched gears to the more important issue at hand.

"Go home, eat well and get some rest. I had hoped to better prepare you, but tonight will be your first stray hunt. Tsubaki will come to you once we're all ready, expect her around midnight."

 **END!**

 **Been a while eh? Sorry about that. Part of it was being busy with work and stuff, but mostly it was because I couldn't decide on how the scene with his mom should play out.**

 **I had TEN different scenes written out. Would I have his mom completely blow up and freak out? Would I reveal the supernatural right there? Should Sona call Rias in and alter her memories because Sona isn't as good at it?**

 **Too many choices, and I couldn't decide which way to go. The two biggest choices I had, were bringing Rias into it. I thought about using that to shape the relationship between her and Issei.**

 **I've come to a decision about whether or not Rias will be in the harem. Like i've said before, you'll find out in the raiser arc.**

 **As much as I enjoy doing the 10k+ chapters, I'm going to try and keep it around 5-7k. I can get those out much faster.**

 ** _Next time - Kill a stray, mom meets with Momo and Reya, strategy training, and the set-up for possibly meeting Tiamat._**


	17. First Kill

**Yo! Come hang in the discord [ discord. gg/ xEApPAS ] take out the spaces**

There were no words, that could properly describe how wrong things had turned.

The information given to Sona, had only been the bare minimum, and that lack of intel was costing her.

Once her peerage had gathered in the student council office, a brief meeting was held over what they knew.

A bishop that had disappeared over a year ago, after killing two peerage members and a bystander in the underworld. According to the given report, the bishop had gotten strong enough to cause the evil piece to mutate.

Once that happened, the flood of power caused an argument to get out of hand. It had all been downhill from there.

With her entire peerage assembled and ready, the group should have been able to take on a B-class stray.

Since the servant was a bishop, Sona had anticipated it to be a magic user, and the sacred gear of her queen would be a critical countermeasure. Issei was likely to be more than powerful enough to handle most of the fight, but he was inexperienced in live combat.

Only Tsubaki, Tomoe and herself had gone on more than 2 stray hunts. Momo and Reya were competent in their chosen fields, but they still needed her to make the quick decisions.

Her plan would have worked, had things not taken a strange turn.

"Rias! Where the _fuck_ are you?!" Sona yelled into the circle next to her ear, her mask of indifference shattered.

Her peerage, her _family_ , was divided and wounded. She hadn't seen Yura, Tomoe or Ise, since the roof collapse of an old and abandoned house on the edge of a forest.

They were the group least equipped to handle even _one_ adept magic user, let alone whatever this thing was.

"My family's magic seems to be the only thing working on them! Akeno, Kiba and Koneko are keeping them at bay, but until I can kill enough of them, we can't move." Sona could hear how annoyed and tired Rias was getting through all of this.

Her friend may be talented with the power of destruction, but as was the case with most high class devils, Rias hadn't spent much time training. Her stamina was being worn away by the sheer amount of clones of this nuisance.

That wasn't good. Sona was hoping that Rias had been able to finish off their group, and meet up to find her missing members.

The Sitri heiress glared at her opponents.

She hadn't known that Rias had been tasked with the same stray, otherwise she would have suggested they search together. If the elders thought it best to send both groups, Sona felt cooperation would have been the best option.

Instead of being surrounded by what seemed to be a hive mind type of creature.

The stray appeared androgynous, standing a couple inches shorter than herself. All 8 identical copies swayed in perfect sync, with a strange smile that made the stray look utterly exhausted. The arms of the creature were stretched, reaching down to its knees, and where there had once been fingers, long and thin talons of an inky black replaced them.

Tsubaki deployed her Mirror Alice, as one of them whipped its hand out, sending the talons off the hand and towards them.

As soon as the mirror had been struck, another attacked in Reya's direction, her bishop deploying a magical barrier to deflect.

The reflected attack by Tsubaki took one down, only for the copy to its left to split, leaving them once again up to 8 opponents.

Reya returned fire, with a compressed bullet of demonic power.

It was then that Sona noticed something, in the eyes of the one directly in front of her.

They lightened, losing that dead look, as it attacked her. The others just kept swaying like they had before. The same thing happened when Momo was attacked.

None of the others moved out of sync, without that look in their eyes.

Sona thought she knew why that was happening now. The thought of them appearing to share one consciousness had just been a way to describe how they moved together. But even with that detail spotted, she wasn't sure it made the situation any less dire.

"Rias…I think I know how to kill them."

The chance that her theory was correct only went up, when the attacks came full circle once more.

"We have to kill the original. These copies seem to be acting like drones, responding to orders sent to them."

Momo nearly collapsed, able to keep herself protected while on one knee. Tsubaki was breathing so deeply that she had to be feeling the same way, and was only standing from sheer will power. Reya got struck in the shoulder and thigh.

"I've killed each one of these things a dozen times over! If that's the case, it isn't here with me!" Rias yelled, and the connection between them was filled with static before it calmed.

"It has to be with you." Rias finished, blowing a sigh from the toll this elongated fight was taking on them.

Sona paled, realizing that her group had also killed the clones at least 5 times each. That only left 2 options.

Either the original wasn't in the area at all, and was directing them from a safe position, or it was with Issei.

She wasn't sure which one of those was better.

He was alive at least. Moderately hurt and starting to wear down, she could tell, but he was alive.

 **-LineBreak-**

 _If you don't calm down, there's no chance of you being able to help your friends._

Elsha scolded him gently, knowing that he didn't need to be yelled at right now.

The creature had been giving Issei trouble from the start. When he tried to attack it initially, it dodged and then would either split or attack back, before trying to run off.

Issei and Tomoe had been able to stop the thing from getting away, but hadn't been able to do much else.

When they lost sight of it for a few seconds, they came around a corner to find it had cloned itself.

"I know that Elsha…I do. But this _bastard_ almost killed them! Tomoe's out cold, and Yura doesn't look like she can hold out much longer either."

Elsha and Ddraig had both agreed on what he needed to do, almost immediately after they saw the clones. They had both seen something similar in their lives. The problem was Issei. He was upset at being unable to stop his fellow peerage members from getting injured, even though he knew what to do.

Kill the one that kept running.

His only chance to do so had been lost, when Issei hesitated to make the shot. If he'd done that, and killed the stray, Issei would have metaphorical blood on his hands.

But after seeing what the creature had done to the old woman as they ran… he was okay with that. He wished that she hadn't been outside, for whatever reason. But he couldn't change what happened.

The stray had slit her throat as it ran by, hoping to distract the three young devils enough to get away.

Why was a woman that old, outside at almost 3 in the morning?

Now they had the 4 identical beings nearly cornered, or at least, he and Yura did. Tomoe had taken a hit to the head, and was unconscious at the edge of his vision.

Yura and Issei tried to pinpoint the one they needed to strike, but it was difficult with how they were running around each other.

Issei had tried using his flames, but he couldn't cover enough space to hit more than 2 at a time, and never the one he needed. His dragon shot was too linear and would just be dodged.

The rook beside him, wasn't a magic user, nor did she really have any sort of ranged attacks. Trying to get in close and attack physically had only gotten her scraped and tired.

 _You're tiring too quickly to drag this out much further. I have an idea, one last chance._

 **[Boost! Transfer!]** Issei touched Yura, giving her what little he could. It didn't help with stamina, but the added power would help her stay in the fight and actually be able to damage their enemy.

Her posture straightened, almost appearing revitalized, but her breaths were still coming in deep pants. Her blue hair stuck to the sweat on her forehead and neck, fists raised and clenched, ready to get back to the fight.

"Let's hear it then. We need to get Tomoe looked at, and I don't think either of us can last much longer."

One of the clones dashed at Issei, talon raised with the inky black nails shining under the moonlight.

Raising his arms in a cross to block, with the boosted gear on the outside, Issei felt and heard the sound of his sacred gear once again saving him from a cut that would have only debilitated him further.

Issei took a quick and small breath, exhaling it with force, trying to get his flames to catch the retreating attacker.

Yura was listening, As Issei seemingly talked to himself, even though she knew that he was talking to the ones in his gauntlet. This was not the time to be having these thoughts, but the Sitri rook was liking what she saw and heard from Issei tonight.

He was scratched and bloodied, some from himself, and some from when his dragon shots had torn the clones to pieces, and the red liquid spraying out. His anger over trying to protect them, plus the way he fought and looked…It would have had her a little weak in the knees, if their lives life wasn't currently at risk.

The sense of desire she'd dealt with, since becoming a devil, had twisted her sense of morality in a few areas. Even though she knew that there was a handful of girls already interested and pursuing him, if he kept acting like this, Yura was going to want a taste too.

 _Summon me in a visible form, you're too occupied for me to do it myself. It will use a good portion of what energy you have left, but I can distract the creature long enough for the both of you to finish it._

Issei paused, suddenly feeling stupid for not having thought about that earlier. He had been keeping the projection to himself so far, which probably wasn't going to make his king happy, once she found out.

But it was just… his little secret, the thing he could turn to, that no one could take away or ruin. Ddraig could be a bit grumpy at times, but Elsha had always been on his side.

He felt even worse, thinking that Tomoe getting hurt could have been avoided, if he hadn't been so selfish.

 _You weren't the one attacking her Ise. Let me help you._

 **[After this, you will only have a minute or two left, Maximum.]** Ddraig added out loud, getting Yura to glance over to him.

Issei nodded, blocking a glancing blow from one of the talons.

"Yura, on my mark, we rush and finish this thing. You in?"

The look on his face, the hardened glare in his eyes, it spoke volumes. He didn't really like the idea of killing, but when killing was to protect the people around him, he would do it.

That was a part of the reason he joined Sona in the first place. To protect his loved ones, with all he had to give.

"I was starting to wonder when those strategy lessons were going to come into play. Okay Ise, I'm with you."

Turning forward, Yura cracked her knuckles, ready to finally be done with this stray.

Taking a deep breath, Issei focused. With his heart pounding so loud it made his eardrum shake, and the boosted gears drain starting to be felt, it was hard.

He had to picture her, Issei had to bring the image of Elsha into reality for others to see. The long silky blonde hair that had tickled his cheeks when his head was on her lap. Mix matched eyes, her true one the color of a bright and clear sky, the other an emerald green, that told of the hardships in her life and what it had cost her.

The shimmer of gold particles started to gather in front of him, like dust being gathered by a breeze.

There were plenty of beautiful women in his life now, but Elsha was something else entirely. Her voice. Her cheeks. Shoulders leading to her arms and chest, the way they moved, the way they felt. Then to her hips and legs, those long slender legs that were elegant, and powerful to a degree that he thought he'd never achieve himself.

Yura watched, in a trance from the show, watching as Issei displayed an ability no one knew about.

The gold particles spun, condensing until they faded away, and left a woman appearing before her very eyes.

When it stopped, she saw an unknown woman, beautiful in a way that was hard to even fathom. She opened her eyes, twisting her head to smirk at Issei.

"I didn't know you thought so highly of me, I'm flattered." A small blush came over his cheeks before he shook his head, and got back on track.

"Are you ready Elsha?"

Yura widened her blue eyes, hearing the name. How in all the levels of hell, had he managed to summon the NorseFire Dragon out of his sacred gear?

"Of course dear. Let's begin, shall we?" Elsha spoke calmly, eyeing both her and Issei.

Issei nodded decisively, while Yura's was shaky, still curious and confused.

The strongest female user of the boosted gear eyed the opponents before her, looking at them to determine which was the real one. Following each one carefully with her eyes, Elsha watched for any sign of deviation, something only the original would have.

It came in the form of a twitch, a hand that moved in a way that the others didn't. Her stance shifted for just a second, enough time for Issei to prepare, before she suddenly wasn't standing before them anymore.

She appeared in front of the demon on the far right side, her body sideways and leg pulling over to deliver what would be a devastating kick.

"Now Ise!"

She yelled out, just as her leg was about to connect, the stray trying to guard itself.

"Dragon-" Issei pulled his left hand back, a red glow emanating and bouncing off the walls around them.

Elsha's leg continued on, shifting through the stray without any resistance.

"Shot!" Issei punched the little red ball of energy, sending it right towards the middle pair of enemies.

Like it had before, that seemingly insignificant sphere expanded, once his gauntlet covered fist sent it flying. It barreled forward, like a bullet train in both size and speed.

Just before they vanished from sight, Yura saw that Elsha disappeared into a puff of golden particles, just as she appeared. The wall of energy struck, and by the sound of it, had ripped through outside wall of the warehouse they were backing the stray towards.

Dirt kicked up from the ground, making a small cloud that made it hard to see through.

"Yura lets go! You go left, I'll take right!" Issei hadn't lost sight of what they were doing, like she had.

She nodded and took off in the direction given to her. The strides she took partially made up for her lack of speed. Yura understood the importance of speed, but her interests had turned how more towards being a heavy hitter.

Issei may be a pawn, and given no extra increase in any particular area, besides those that came with being a devil, but he still reached the settling dust cloud before her.

"Gah!" She heard Issei call out, both in surprise and pain, before a thud was heard.

Yura heard something that sounded like a very large snake hissing, before another red glow shined through that dust as she came up to it.

Bursting through, Yura almost couldn't stop in time, before she would have been caught up in the next attack.

Issei was on the ground, the stray above him with a talon pointed down to his right eye. The red dragon emperor had been lucky enough to have his legs positioned to keep the stray from killing him right away, and his right hand holding the talon back.

The other side of the stray had been obliterated from existence, the wounds cauterized instantly. From the halfway point of the collar bone down, seared flesh, pulsing red and steaming, was exposed for all to see. The strays other arm was gone from the blast.

Issei didn't have the room to initiate another dragon shot, the same way he just had. A much smaller sphere gathered in his metal plated hand, half the size of a tennis ball. His palm pushed it upward.

"Fuck… you…" Issei was struggling with the talon, as he pushed the orb quickly into the face of the last stray.

Yura was left dumbfounded, as a smaller cloud kicked up from the ground, from the detonation.

The sound of meat slapping against the ground followed quickly. She had never seen this level of gore before, her other stray hunts all being clean kills.

There was nothing above the base of the neck on the stray, save for some strands of nerves dangling about. It had all been blasted away in the pawns attempts to save himself, and end this crazy hunt.

The talon and the rest of the body went limp, falling to the side and off of Issei's legs.

He panted with wide eyes, digesting the information of his close call, his body sprawling out on the ground.

The blood and meat of the stray kept raining down, most hitting the ground, but a good spray had covered his face.

A blue circle came to life, spinning clockwise around her ear.

"Yura, status report." Sona sounded as tired as herself and Issei. Her eyes never left his body.

"We killed it, the original one. Tomoe is unconscious, Issei and myself are a little scraped and exhausted, but otherwise we're all okay."

"Where are you?" Yura heard the dual sigh of relief, that had to come from the bishops.

"Outside the warehouse on the West side of town. And…Kaichou?" Yura paused, looking for the right words to use.

"Something wrong?" Yura smiled, as some of the kings mask came off through her tone.

"Since when can Ise bring Elsha into the real world?"

Issei groaned, and turned his head towards his blue haired companion. Yura understood before Sona answered, the king was silent as she let that question register completely.

"Say that again…"

Issei hadn't told _anyone_ about that yet.

Oops.

 **-LineBreak-**

Two pairs of eyes, one brown and the other pink, stared at the near catatonic form of their love interest.

Kaori and Yui had been having trouble getting to sleep, after Issei told them what he had to do last night.

It was damn near impossible, when they saw it was _Sona_ , that was almost carrying him towards the bed when they appeared.

The pure born devil had come carrying a brand new uniform, with Issei dressed in a plain t-shirt and sweat pants. They knew _something_ had happened, because he'd left wearing the school uniform.

The human girls had never seen him so exhausted before.

In a bed meant for one, the three were cuddled together tightly. Each had a leg draped over one of his, and a hand on his chest, just to feel the rise and fall of his chest with each breath.

Last night had been one of the things they were most afraid of Issei facing. The kind of devils that had been responsible for the death of one Shinobu Katase.

As tired as they were, from the lack of sleep, neither girl could deny the warmth felt, when Issei had wrapped an arm around each of them when they crawled into his bed.

Even in that deep sleep, he wanted them close. It eased their minds.

The amount of sleep the two _had_ been able to get, was nowhere near what they liked, but it would have to do. They were preparing for a competition, and needed to stay in top form.

Since Issei was brand new to Kendo, and because of his student council/devil duties, he wouldn't be participating. He was coming along nicely in skill though, which probably had something to do with his supernatural nature.

Kaori watched as Issei would occasionally grunt of shift in his sleep, his face twisting and looking like he was almost upset about something.

"Yui, what are we to him?" The brunette spoke quietly, making sure that their conversation didn't wake him up. They doubted that Sona would mind too much, if Issei wasn't there a little earlier like he usually was, not with how he looked last night.

It was a question she had wanted to ask for a while now. She had admitted to being in love with him, he would occasionally kiss her on his own, and there was almost always one of them sleeping in his bed now.

But there had never been any real clarification on the status of how they referred to each other.

"What do you mean?" Yui rubbed at her eye, trying to wake up enough to be coherent.

"Am I his girlfriend? Are you? With how busy he's been with school and stuff, plus our kendo schedule, we haven't really had time for a date. Even so, I'd like to think we're dating…right?"

Kaori felt it was important to have this answered, because this morning Momo and Reya were supposed to stop by, and the four would have a talk with his mom.

Issei had explained what his mom had been talking about, with what she said during the incident that his dad started.

Even though it had only been on incident, it told the girls more about the woman they'd been living with.

They knew she hated lies, but hadn't realized her view of right and wrong was so rigid. It made a little more sense, why she liked Yui and Kaori so much. The three of them were alike in the way they valued honesty and doing the right thing.

The icy air in the home was still somewhat present, but it was pushed more onto the father than anyone else. The two girls weren't exactly looking forward to meeting the student council president. Both because of the drama she had inadvertently caused, and with the way she may react towards Issei. More competition was not something they needed or wanted.

 _Supposedly_ , the father had been looking into the company he was completing a large order for, and one of the companies under the umbrella had lead him to the cam sight where he saw the girl.

According to Mrs Hyoudou, the browser history told the same story. But then how did he come to know her name? Why would he spend so much time on a porn sight?

"I know it would be problematic if we called him our boyfriend publicly, but that's what he is to me. I suppose lover would be a better term, but that implies more than I'm willing to give right now."

Kaori didn't voice her thoughts on moving towards a more sexual relationship, Yui didn't need any pressure from her. Reya was enough. They didn't talk all the time, but when they did, Kaori got the impression that she was just waiting for the right moment to pounce.

After some thought, and sleeping in the same bed as him, feeling the appendage that would be involved in said sexual relationship poking at her ass, she was both nervous and excited to take a step in that direction.

Not that she had the intention of going all the way right now, but definitely more than they'd done so far.

She blamed Issei for the desire even coming about. Because of him, how his hand would drift from her abdomen, to grabbing her chest while he slept, she _wanted_ him to touch her. That extra warmth of his skin on hers was soothing, stimulating, arousing and addicting all at once.

"Yea." Was all Kaori could say, as her mind kept wandering.

Did being touched affect him, as much as it did her? Issei would obviously like any scenario that involved her touching his dick. It had happened once by accident, as she tried to get out of bed to use the bathroom, and it had stood to attention before she could remove her hand.

But what about other places?

 _"Good morning you two, I'm glad you're awake before he is."_ The girls were startled by the voice, their eyes shifting to the door. Once they saw that it was still closed, they looked over to his hand wrapped around Yui.

"Morning Elsha, whats going on?" It still felt weird to be talking to a hand that glowed.

 _"I just wanted to prepare you. Issei may be a tad… protective, for a while."_

Neither girl needed to hear anything more, they knew that it was because of whatever happened last night.

"Was it bad?" Kaori's voice had a quiver in it, almost afraid of what he may have seen or been forced to do.

 _"Worse than it should have been, but it could have turned worse. It was through no fault of their own. The entire group was acting on less information then they should've been given."_

Elsha said with a sigh. All throughout the night, Elsha could see the dreams Issei had been having. The image of one of the human women in his life, being in the position of that elderly woman who lost her life. He felt guilty, that he hadn't been able to prevent it.

She didn't blame him in the slightest. Issei was lucky to have not come into the supernatural because of such events. But now the fog of ignorance had been lifted, and he knew how truly dangerous things could turn, and how quickly that could happen.

 _"Which brings me back to my first point. The two of you are much more to him than you realize, judging from the bit of conversation of yours that I heard. He's likely to be more physical than he has been in the past. It could be as simple as a touch to the shoulder, or holding your hand, maybe a kiss. If he makes you uncomfortable in any way, please don't just push him back. Tell him you're not ready for it. Last night, Ise had to do something that has unsettled him, he will want to show you that values your decision to be in his life."_

As the girls took in that somewhat worrying statement, both of them would swear on their lives, that they saw something strange. The bangs of his hair moved away from his eyes, and his lips seemed to have been pressed in slightly by something.

They might have been wrong, but it almost looked like someone had kissed him.

 **-LineBreak-**

The dreams had been horrible, seeing the women he loved in one way or another, have their throats slit so easily like that woman. There was nothing he could have done, without risking her life anyway. His only ranged attacks did not discriminate on human vs devil.

Even though he knew that, Issei still felt like shit when he woke up. He hadn't been able to get enough rest, thanks to how late things had gone on, and the sleep he did get had his pulse racing in fear of his dreams.

He felt like he hadn't eaten in days, and after splashing some water on his face and getting ready for another school day, went downstairs for some breakfast.

What Issei saw, when he made it to the kitchen, confused him more than not seeing one of the girls when he woke up. One of them was always there, and the other was typically at the doorway. It was something he had gotten used to, and now had come to expect.

But this was odd.

Sitting at the table was his mother, with Yui, Kaori, Momo and Reya sat with her.

'What in the world is going on here…?'

A hand raised slowly, awkwardly, as they all turned towards him. Stopping all conversation being had.

"Uh…Good morning.." They looked at him like he was a puzzle to be deciphered.

Reya was the first to turn her eyes elsewhere, glancing at each of the women around the table, before sliding her chair back and standing. Everyone, Issei included, watched as she sauntered over to him, hips swaying.

Both hands reached to the sides of his face, bringing Issei down for a kiss.

This was a kiss that put her others to shame. She hadn't crashed her lips to his violently, but it wasn't soft either. Reya didn't want to be subtle anymore, not in front of the school, not his mother, or anyone else.

She wanted Issei, she'd known that for a while now.

Reya had only made her desire and intentions directly known to the three younger women at the table, and it was time to change that.

Last night had scared her, thinking that Issei was in danger, unprepared for what they were facing. He could have died, and she would have never told him that she wanted to be with him.

Joining Sona as her bishop had been an easy call, as it allowed Reya to overcome what she felt was her greatest weakness. Before becoming a devil, Reya had always wanted to be able to change things.

Her life, her circumstances, the way events played out, all of it.

She'd always been a decisive person, but lacked the materials, knowledge, and ability.

With her growing powers as a devil, she could learn to literally warp the world around them.

But there was still so much to do, so much going on, that Reya knew she had to be patient for just a bit longer.

"The sunlight clasps the earth, and the moonbeams kiss the sea. What are all these kissings worth, if you will not kiss me?" Her voice came like velvet, a smooth and enticing caress to the ears of everyone around.

Reya knew that her voice was one of her best attributes. She could keep her voice barely above a whisper, and still garner the attention of a crowd. Her soft and gentle expression was something that only added to that charm.

The recitation wasn't word for word, but it was close enough, that the adult of the group was able to place it. To say Mrs Hyoudou was impressed by a high school student in this day and age, knowing anything from a 19th century poet, was an understatement.

Issei had nothing to say, and he could feel the heat starting to build, for some reason being embarrassed that his mom had seen one of the girls kiss him. He got the feeling that Reya didn't care who was watching though.

The host of Ddraig stuttered in an attempt of coming up with anything to say, but Reya was quick to stop him, a finger placed over his lips.

"I thought that if I was walking the line of subtlety, you would get the message eventually, but you're a surprisingly patient person Ise, and I'm tired of waiting."

Issei watched as those eyes of hers shifted towards the others slightly, thinking over her words a little more carefully. When she refocused on him a second later, he saw something that caught him off guard.

Desire. It was the only word that came to mind, when he looked at her. He was tempted to label that look as something similar to the one he'd seen on his old friends from middle school, but there was _no way_ that a girl like her would thoughts as perverted as them….Right?

She leaned closer to him, lowering her voice so that only her fellow devil's ears would be able to catch it.

"I wonder if you ever think of me, _naked, wet, willing,_ when you're sitting in that computer chair. I hope so, because I want to know if the fantasy is as good as the real thing." She pulled back, seeing the wide eyed stare he was giving her.

"Give it some thought. Your mother wanted to talk to the four of us, so we'll meet up with you in class."

Issei had never been more willing of a dismissal in his life, and Reya was left feeling a sense of accomplishment. She _had_ actually wondered if he ever thought of her in that way, but it was also to get his mind away from anything less than pleasant. She remembered the first stray hunt she went on all too well.

As he grabbed his bag and started towards the door, his mother got up and followed, leaving the girls alone for a few moments. Mrs Hyoudou had something she needed to say, something long overdue.

"Ise." She called, stopping her son after he put on his shoes. When he turned towards her, it was easy to see that he was already getting lost in one thought or another, something he'd been doing more often lately.

Issei dropped his bag, as his mother took advantage of his attention being elsewhere, and hugging him tightly.

"I'm sorry." Her eyes closed, and her grip on him tightened when she felt Issei slowly return the embrace.

She still felt it was still a little weird, the way he would wake a slow and deep breath when she hugged him. But the way she could feel the tension leaving him, always made her feel good.

"I've been trying to think of a way to apologize, for getting angry, not believing you, accusing you of the things I did. Saying sorry has never been something I was good at."

All she could do, was hope that he forgave her, and things could work back to how they'd been before. Their home hadn't felt right, with that happy atmosphere gone these last few days.

"It's okay mom. I never wanted to lie to you, but there's just… some things that I can't tell you yet. I don't know when it'll be, but I _will_ tell you everything."

As Issei pulled back, giving a smile and a wave as he walked out, she couldn't help but feel that he was talking about more than just whatever job he was doing.

Trusting him was the only thing she could do for now. He had already shown, that he was working towards something, a future he could be proud of.

With the door closed, it was time to have a talk that was supposed to have happened already. Coming back in to the kitchen, Mrs Hyoudou saw that Momo was pouting, giving a glare to Reya.

With a raised brow, she turned to Yui and Kaori, hoping they knew what the cause had been.

"Momo's upset that Reya sent Ise away before she could get a hug or kiss." Yui answered.

Only after that, did she realize the strange situation they were in. Here they were, with the mother of the guy they wanted. Instead of an argument or fight breaking out because of someone moving in on him, one of the girls was only upset about being left out.

"I see."

Mrs Hyoudou filled her mug halfway with coffee, before sitting down. She liked the drink, but even a single full cup would have her on edge and jittery all day.

"I'm sure you're all nervous about this talk, but I don't mean to challenge or sway the decisions you've made. All I want, is to have a better understanding."

She took a sip, taking those few seconds to organize her choice of words.

"From what I understand, the four of you are the ones in a relationship of sorts with my son."

Momo uncrossed her arms, as the conversation began, placing them in her lap.

Her and Reya had been concerned over this talk, ever since Kaori called that night. But Kaori and the woman herself, had said she wasn't exactly against it, merely confused as to why the girls chose this route. They were still young, and would surely be able to find another to love in time.

"Reya and I, can't really claim to be in a relationship with him, not yet at least. We're hoping to change that."

"I thought as much, based on the poem." She said, looking over to Reya.

Mrs Hyoudou had taken the spoken part of the poem, to mean that Reya was wanting to ask Issei, if he returned the feelings she had for him. If he would he kiss her back.

Though personally, she felt that an earlier verse would have been more appropriate.

 _Nothing in the world is single, all things by a law divine. In one spirit, meet and mingle. Why not I with thine?_

Now that the poem was in her head, she had to admit that the girls overall choice had been spot on. There may have possibly been some polygamous undertones to it. She would leave dissecting the words of man who died in the 1820's for someone else.

"You're familiar with Percy Bysshe Shelley?"

Familiar may have been an understatement. The group of girls in that college poetry class had all fallen in love with the romantic and somewhat adventurous life he had. Honoka Hyoudou was not as fanatic as some, but she had daydreamed of similar things happening to her, more than once.

The interactions with that professor and his aide, led to her sitting in the very far back, wearing thicker clothes than normal.

"I am, from my college days." Was the simple and less revealing answer.

The way that Reya looked at her, made it clear that the teenage girl at least _suspected_ something that may have bordered close to the truth.

"I asked Yui before, but I'd like to hear your answers as well." Honoka said, trying to get back on topic. The girls did have to leave soon for school.

"You're all okay with sharing him? Knowing that there are others?"

"Yes." Both Momo and Reya answered without a moment of hesitation.

"Aren't you concerned that he'll favor one girl over the rest?"

Momo looked to Reya, wanting her friend to answer this question. The white haired bishop _was_ concerned about that for a time. But Reya had pointed something out, that made her feel better.

"I don't think that will ever happen." She spoke calmly, confident in her answer.

"How can you be so sure? I can't imagine that between the four of you, Issei gives each of you the same attention or affection."

Mrs Hyoudou had only seen him kiss Yui and Kaori once each, and only from being at the right place at the right time. The girls had to be the ones initiating anything, if the kiss with Reya was any indication.

"Because, while he hides it, Issei is still very much a pervert. We've all seen the way he looks at us, when he thinks we're not looking." Looking over the four girls, Mrs Hyoudou saw that none disagreed with that statement.

"If it were just Ise looking at us like that, I doubt any of us would want to be with him. But he listens, and cares, he makes you feel special."

If the last two weeks had taught her anything, it was that her control on Issei's life was limited. She wasn't at the school with him, nor was she there when he was with these girls. Most of the time he was away from home, he was usually with at least one of them, she would just hope that he made decisions that didn't risk the future he wanted.

"I don't want to be a grandmother before my son is able to provide for his own baby."

While she looked at each of the girls when she said that, it was mostly directed towards Reya. The girl was clearly ready to take things to that level. At least she knew that Yui and Kaori weren't.

"No need to worry, I want to finish college before even considering having children. For now, all I want, is to express how I feel about him."

There was a distinct lack of an abstinent vow in that statement. Mrs Hyoudou made a mental note, to be careful of when she opened her sons bedroom door.

 **-LineBreak-**

"Sit." Issei had just walked into the student council office, and immediately was on the opposite end of his king's hard stare as she pointed to the seat across from her desk, Tsubaki standing in her usual spot beside Sona.

The walk to school had his mind going back and forth, from the pleasant things Reya had filled it with, to the grim results of the stray hunt.

All in all, his head was a mess.

He couldn't get the image of that woman, how her tired eyes widened when she felt her throat being cut, and way the blood oozed and sprayed out as she fell.

Killing the stray had been the right call, he knew that. But the fact remained, that he had ended another beings life. The only reason he didn't hesitate to finish it off, was because of the death he witnessed.

Then his mind would go back to its old habits, and pictured Reya in the way she described. If his mental state could be described in one word, strange, would do nicely.

He obeyed absently, plopping down into the chair, looking off to nowhere with his eyes cast on a downward angle, which Sona took to mean that he knew he was about to be scolded.

Adjusting her glasses, Sona started on her pawn.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

He didn't answer.

"I taught you the importance of communication in combat, the trust that is needed between those fighting together."

No response.

"You had an ability that could have helped your teammates defeat the opponent more efficiently!" Sona slammed her hands on her desk, standing up quickly, her chair falling behind her.

Tsubaki stood, watching Issei closely. At first, she too thought that he was just readying himself to be yelled at.

The clap of Sona's hands on the wooden desk made her flinch, but Issei didn't even seem to notice.

"Well? What do you have to say for yourself?!" Sona was losing her temper, something that rarely happened. She was tired, and had spent over an hour detailing the events to her sister this morning.

Her peerage had been put in a bad spot last night, not having all the information about the stray. Rias was skipping school today, still recovering from the fatigue. This made both Tsubaki and Sona nervous, as they thought about future events.

How were Rias and her group supposed to fight against Riser Phenex, a prodigy amongst his family of near endlessly regenerating devils, if they were having trouble against a _B-class stray?_

Was Rias not having them train, and just hoping to be freed from the power of the Red Dragon Emperor alone?

Her anxiety rose, when she remembered that Tiamat had agreed to listen to her request. There was no promise to actually accept and train Issei, only that she would listen.

Sona hadn't told the dragon king, that it would be Ddraig's host. She hoped that it would end in her favor.

From what Serafall had said, Sona needed to bring up Elsha's name early in the conversation.

All of this, added with a lack of rest, made for a very irritable Sona Sitri.

When Tsubaki saw Sona rear her head back, about to yell even louder, she placed a hand on the kings shoulder.

"Kaichou."

That was all that it took, to get Sona to stop. Tsubaki didn't interfere with anything Sona did without reason.

When Sona looked over, Tsubaki merely gestured to the pawn, sitting there silently.

Issei looked like he was lost in his own world, which was unusual for him. Taking a deep breath, Sona calmed herself, reaching for the connection that her evil pieces gave her.

She grimaced, as feelings of guilt and doubt flooded her. After checking on the wellbeing of her servants, and finding them with only minor wounds, she had ignored everything else. Focusing on the report she had to give.

Walking around the desk, Sona put her hands on each of his shoulders, squeezing the tense muscle and tendons there.

"Ise." She spoke calmly, with a warmer tone than she usually used at the school.

Slowly, he looked up at her, brows furrowed.

"2 people are dead, because of me."

She had been so angry over the lack of detail last night, that she kept forgetting that a human had died. Not only that, but this was the first time Issei had killed. She could still remember the way that Tomoe acted, after her first kill. The knight had been brought up from a family that killed demons with holy swords.

Because of a curse placed on her, Tomoe hadn't been able bodied enough to ever participate.

Tomoe had cried for days, after that. The stray had taken the form of a young boy, looking innocent of the crimes. When the stray charged, Tomoe acted on instinct, slicing its head clean off.

"That was _not_ your fault." Sona reassured, kneading her thumbs into his shoulders.

"I wasn't fast enough." He mumbled.

"We weren't given all the necessary information Ise."

"By the end, I could hardly jog a block without stumbling."

"All of this is still very new to you."

Sona was just stating things, that she felt might help comfort him.

"I need to train harder."

She stopped, as she had almost gone on with another statement meant to make him feel better.

"We all do."

And that was the truth. Not just Issei, both peerages in Kuoh needed to train. B-class strays were not all too common, but they were at the edge of the more frequent 50%. Anything above that, might have killed them all last night.

Light brown eyes stared into violet, and Sona saw the desire for power to protect what he thought of as _his_.

She didn't know what all that entailed, but she knew that the classic trait of a dragon to guard their treasures would come in handy.

To a certain extent, the wielders of the heavenly dragon sacred gears gained in power as easily as breathing. That's just what having a top 10 class being did, when it was attached to your soul.

"I won't let another one hurt _any_ of you again. Not if I can help it."

The way he was staring directly into her eyes, made Sona feel like he was about her directly, rather than a group.

She swallowed heavily, and with a quick glance down, realized that he wasn't wearing the bracelet.

Even knowing what was causing this effect, did very little to help with its effect. The aura, the stare, the conviction in his voice, it was-

' _NO! It's too soon for this.'_ Sona reminded herself.

"Ise, tell me about how you summoned Elsha." She had to distract herself.

As a pure-blooded devil, she had a natural disposition towards being selfish, greedy, and as much as she tried to push them back, lust filled thoughts popped up as well.

She could _not_ allow that aura to effect her.

Not yet

There was too much to do, so much to focus on. Her mind was her greatest asset, she needed it to be free of those things for now. Once the groundwork of her school was placed, she could afford to be a little more lax.

Until then, however, the strict persona she'd built had to be ever present. Issei would just have to get his fill with her bishops for now.

If he ever managed to beat her in chess, then things would change.

Sona may wear glasses, but she wasn't blind to the looks he gave her. What was odd though, was where he focused.

It wasn't her body, like it was most of the time with Reya and Momo.

No, when she saw Issei giving her those looks, he was focusing on her eyes, on her face.

If he kept looking at her like that, Sona was afraid that she might eventually disregard her own stance on pre-marital sex.

 **END!**

 **Not as much as I wanted to cover, but we'll get there.**


	18. Dragon in the forest

The familiar forest was not a new sight for Sona Sitri, but for some reason, she was nervous. Perhaps even scared.

Through the efforts of one Serafall Leviathan, Tiamat had agreed to meet, and at the very least hear her request. She had a foot in the door and was just waiting for it to be slammed shut.

Tiamat had a history of despising the Red Dragon Emperor, and his hosts, having gone as far as to kill a few of them.

The air around her felt thick, dense from the humidity. If not for the engravings in the frame of her glasses, she was sure that they would have fogged over by now.

Leaving Tsubaki back in Kuoh hadn't been her idea, but a suggestion from her sister. The dragon king was not particularly fond of visitors, preferring to reside in solitude.

Sona pulled at the collar of her uniform, both from the strange heat, and muggy feeling of this area.

She followed the path, through the thick expanse of trees that were starting to give way towards a more mountainous area. As the land started to be covered with rock more than grass, and the hills got steeper, Sona spotted a large pool of steaming water ahead and to the left of her.

That must have been behind the wet and sticky air when the rest of the forest was generally cool.

Sona paused, hearing a splash from the distance. Something was in the water.

She wasn't surprised by that, but she was prepared to defend herself if needed. Some of the water-dwelling creatures were territorial, and much like a dragon, they did not like being disturbed.

The splash came again, this time followed with a series of lighter ones, it sounded like something was swimming.

Her trail was leading directly passed the spring. Whatever was in there, it didn't sound like it was very big, so Sona walked forward, keeping her eyes peeled and her senses ready.

When she got closer, she could see that the water would be a clear and crystal light blue, if it weren't for the haze made from whatever was heating it. The splashing came again, and Sona was surprised when she caught sight of it… Or rather _her._

"Millie!" Sona called out, cupping her hands around her mouth, hoping it would carry her voice.

The splashing stopped, and the head of a young woman popped up, looking around.

Her sandy blonde hair floating in the water around her, Millie turned and turned until she saw the speaker, her maroon colored eyes widening at who she saw.

The girl _slithered_ through the water with ease, ripples whipping behind her. When she made it to shore, Sona really shouldn't have expected anything less.

Millie was her familiar. A type of freshwater spirit that was related to mermaids, A Melusine. Their upper half resembled a human woman, the bottom half being that of a serpent while in water.

When Sona had gone to the forest in search of a familiar, she had still been idolizing her sister. If her sister's title was often represented by a sea serpent, why not search for something of that same nature.

Sona hadn't realized how unimaginative she'd been, when naming her new familiar, until a few years later.

Millie slithered out of the water, her two scaled tails holding her upright and moving, not a speck of clothing anywhere on her.

Coming to a stop in front of Sona, Millie tilted her head.

"Master, why are you here?" Her voice was soft and quiet.

"I apologize for disturbing your bath, I know how much you hate that." Before moving to the human world, Millie had stayed in the Sitri manor for a time.

Until one of the male servants her family employed, walked into the bathing area, not knowing she was there.

Millie had shrieked so loud, that the man was still deaf in one ear, then ran and hid until Sona found her in a closet.

"Is everything okay?"

"Yes Millie, everything is fine. I'm on my way to meet with the Chaos karma Dragon, and since I have you here, could you tell me how much further till I reach her?"

Sona hadn't seen Millie in almost 6 months, giving the girl a much-deserved break. There would be a time and place to discuss the changes that had occurred, like her peerage addition, but this wasn't it.

"Lady Tiamat? She's about another 5-minute walk that way-" Millie pointed, off to the right of the path. "But why are you meeting with her? She doesn't like devils very much."

Looking in the direction that her familiar pointed, Sona noted the rock formations just at the edge of her vision. She suspected that to be where the Dragon King lived.

"I plan to ask her to train my pawn. The dragon in his sacred gear thinks that she would be the most beneficial for him. Although there is the threat of Tiamat killing him on the spot, I hope she refrains from doing so."

Turning back, the heiress saw the way her familiar had paled ever so slightly, her shoulders shivering.

"Master, I was bathing once, when someone angered her…" Millie gulped.

"If you value this servants life, don't bring him to her."

The winds ripped through the forest, the ground quaked beneath your feet, any form of life scattered away from her domain when they heard that roar. The strongest dragon king was not someone you wanted to anger unless you were god class.

Luckily for the one who had caused that anger, he was.

"I have to try Millie. There is too much riding on his success, for me to back out."

Sona appreciated the concern, but there was no turning back. Especially because Ise seemed to have hit some sort of plateau, since the stray hunt.

For the last 2 weeks, he'd been working himself to the bone in his training, with very little to show for it. He was beyond frustrated with himself, and not even the tender mercies of her bishops or the kendo girls could completely pull him out of it.

Sona was proud of him, so _very_ proud, for reaching the level he was at already. His mind and body were working in tandem in ways that surprised even her sometimes. But he _needed_ more.

Elsha and Ddraig had said that he was at a crossroads, an evolution of sorts, and he needed something to push him through it. Sona was still frustrated that they hadn't explained further, saying that the form it took depended on how Issei responded.

"I'm gambling almost everything on him, but the reward is worth the risk."

Sona had said that enough times, that she _almost_ believed it.

Almost.

 **-LineBreak-**

As the group watched Issei train with Yura, Kaori turned her eye towards Momo, wondering if she could work up the nerve to talk about the things on her mind.

As the two traded blows, Issei was keeping himself from using the boosted gear, she thought of what had happened a few nights ago. Something that she hadn't even told Yui.

Issei stepped left, bring his right fist right towards the rook's face.

Kaori couldn't help but state at his hand.

Yura knocked his punch to the side, a left hook coming in with most of her strength behind it. She had learned not to hold too much back with Issei, her leg still throbbed in phantom pain from that day.

She had also learned that Issei was quick to pick up new things.

He ducked to the right, throwing his body weight into it, wanting to bring his heel over and strike her.

But her guard was still up, and Yura caught him by the ankle, throwing the pawn over her shoulder and further away from her.

Kaori moved to and beside Momo, who was watching the spar intently.

"Hey Momo, got a second?" She asked quietly, hoping that none of the others happened to hear.

Issei stood up, dusted himself off, before launching himself back at Yura.

"Hm? Oh, yea, what's up?" It took a few seconds for Momo to answer, making sure that Issei wasn't getting hurt. The chances were low, but with the way he'd been pushing himself, she didn't want to risk not being ready to heal him.

Kaori shifted uneasily, taking a deep breath. Admitting this was embarrassing for her.

"I need your opinion on something that happened with Ise."

When she heard that, Momo was no longer shifting her gaze over to him every other second, no entirely focused on the human girl.

"What was it?"

Yura went on the offensive, going for an uppercut, the smile on her face couldn't have been wider.

Issei pivoted to the right, her punch just barely missing. Wanting to try something new, he grabbed her wrist tightly, twisting it and moving behind her.

He had to let go and scoot back when her heel came back and almost hit him in the nuts.

"Ever since that stray, he's been…Grabby, especially when he's asleep."

Momo smiled, her eyes losing focus as she remembered the way he responded to her kisses now.

He was bolder, holding her as close to his body as he could get, without it being smothering. And his hands were more adventurous, sliding up from her legs, over her ass, and up her sides.

Momo knew that the cause had been a horrible thing, but she was liking possessive side to him.

"Yea…. It's nice."

Kaori snapped her fingers in front of the bishop's face.

"Focus!" She hissed.

Momo blinked the daydream away.

"Okay okay, so what did he do?"

Kaori settled and leaned closer to whisper.

"He usually just grabs onto my chest. But the other night… His hand slid _down_."

Her eyes gestured towards the uniform skirt was wearing, Momo's eyes widened ever so slightly for a moment.

" _How_ far down?" Momo's eyes quickly turned over to the other bishop.

Reya had a smile on her face, as she pretended that she wasn't hearing any of this.

Reya was the only devil close enough that would be able to hear, the rest standing closer to the training taking place.

"You _know_ how far. I was asleep and didn't notice at first. I've gotten used to how his fingers twitch when he's sleeping…but he-!" Kaori stopped, as she caught her voice rising.

"Not gonna lie, I'm a little jealous." Momo started, crossing her arms and turning her head.

"But I'd want him awake."

Kaori was almost starting to regret bringing this up at all, but she felt that Momo would be able to help her decide where to go from here.

"That's what I want your opinion on." Momo rose a white brow.

"I like it when he touches me, but I don't know where to draw the line. His finger didn't… _go in_ , but I kinda… wished it had."

Now Momo understood why she was the one that Kaori went to.

"So, you wanna know how far you might feel comfortable going then?"

Kaori nodded.

"Yea. I'm not ready to go all the way, especially since we haven't really done anything yet. But I don't know how to start, or even what I'm willing to do."

Kaori almost screamed, when a pair of hands placed themselves on her shoulder. She felt the hair tickling her neck, and the breath by her ear.

"He's waiting for _us_ Kaori, to decide what we're okay with. If you want his fingers inside of you, wake him up and _push it in._ "

Momo was wondering, what sort of plan Reya was scheming in that head of hers. The girl gave off the image of a polite, kind, soft-spoken and almost shy young woman. Only the ones apart of their non-human life were aware of the strong-willed and 'determined to get what she wanted' side of her.

"Reya has a point, as crass as it sounds. This is just as new to Ise, as it is to us. He's gotta be handling it himself at least a few times a day, what with him sleeping with one of you every night. I'm sure getting some sort of action is something he'd love."

Kaori calmed down, still feeling her pulse pounding.

"Should we feel bad, for basically planning his sexual timeline?" She asked, brows furrowing. There was no malicious intent, they didn't want to hold him back, or dictate what he could or couldn't do.

"I think it's better this way, at least until we know our respective boundaries."

The group around them gasped, causing the three girls talking to turn.

Issei had worn Yura down enough, that he was able to get inside her guard, with a cupped hand at her neck and a leg positioned behind her footing, sent her down to the ground.

They had been doing this for a while now, and Issei was almost as tired as his friend. When Yura felt herself falling back, she refused to go down so easily.

Her hand flashed out quickly, pulling Issei over by the forearm.

She managed to get enough force behind it, for him to land on his back.

Panting and thoroughly exhausted, Yura had him pinned, with a forearm on his neck, and a fist raised to strike him in the face. Being on her knees, one between his legs and other to the side, and her arm being where it was, there was only a short distance between them.

"Oh? What's this?" Reya whispered, watching as the two tried to catch their breath. What caught her attention though, was the way Yura didn't seem to _want_ to move.

Scraped, a little bloody and surely bruised all over, Issei was smiling up at her, likely congratulating her for the win. Taking a glance to the side, she saw how Momo was watching the same thing.

The members of the Sitri peerage knew each other well, aside from the king and queen, who liked their privacy. It was easy to tell what was going on inside that head of hers when recalling how the rook would be drooling after one of her fighting shows.

"Hyoudou, take an hour break before starting with Tomoe." Tsubaki called out, as strict and monotone as ever.

With Sona off in the underworld for a meeting, the queen was the one delegating tasks for the time being.

With her captive being addressed, Yura finally pulled back, allowing Issei to get up.

As Issei stood, his body tensed, and his head swiveled left to right frantically, almost like he was looking for some form of danger.

But they were alone here, placed in a barrier to keep them isolated from others. After a few more seconds of searching, Issei closed his eyes and grimaced.

 **-LineBreak-**

The tables had turned, and now Sona was the one terrified to the point that she had a hard time breathing. Although that may have been from the power radiating off of the being in front of her.

As with almost every woman in her family, Sona was rather short. Even if she had been the tallest of her relatives, her height would still leave her feeling wholly inadequate.

Deep blue eyes, crystal clear and as large as her entire head, stared down at Sona with indifference.

In front of her was the Chaos Karma Dragon. Tiamat's body was large, and if Sona was able to judge correctly, bigger than Tannin. Blue scales just a shade or two lighter than her eyes, laid atop one another, acting like armor.

From tip to tail, she must be over 100 feet long.

" **Speak, devil girl."** The voice of the dragon was calm and didn't seem at like she'd been trying to raise her volume. Even so, Sona felt the vibrations from that smoky tone to her bones.

"L-Lady Tia-"

" **Drop the 'Lady' part. The platitudes of you** _ **noble devils**_ **are nauseating, especially with the ridiculous politics the lot of you seem so enthralled with."**

Sona blinked in surprise, as Tiamat crossed one massive front leg over the other. She supposed that was the equivalent of the more "ladylike" posture high-class women used. She had forgotten how Tannin had told her to leave the pleasantries behind. It seemed to be a recurring thing when dealing with dragons.

"Very well then. Tiamat, my name is Sona Sitri. I'm grateful to you, for being willing to meet with me." Sona hoped that her voice had lost its waver, but she wasn't too confident of that.

The dragon rolled her eyes, a small plume of smoke coming from her nostrils as she scoffed.

"I've come to ask for your help." Tiamat said nothing, staring down at Sona until she actually heard something worth responding to.

"The newest addition of my peerage, I need someone with the appropriate skill set and strength, to train him. Due to the events and circumstance of his reincarnation, he is now part dragon. I have been told, that another dragon was best suited for this."

The scaled part above her eye rose. The little devil girl had peaked her interest. There were only a few known ways for something of that sort to come about, and fewer people she knew of, that are stupid and/or ballsy enough to try it.

" **And where is this slave of yours?"** Tiamat's question had Sona wanting to clench her fists. That may be the equivalent of how many saw the peerage system, but it was _not_ how Sona used it.

No one under her command had come to be there without full knowledge and acceptance.

"Training with the other members of my peerage, back in the human world." Sona couldn't help the small edge to her voice.

She knew her chances were slim, and that Tiamat was very likely to refuse. But if Issei couldn't rise above this flatline in his progress, not only would Rias be stuck with her betrothed, but her own plans would take a drastic hit as well.

In short, Sona was starting to see the roadblocks building up and block the path she'd chosen. If her plan was derailed too much further, she would be desperate to find a solution.

" **Hmm. The fear I understand. I could smash you into the ground, make you nothing more than paste. But what has made you angry child?"** Tiamat dipped her head down from its place several feet above her.

When she came down, eye level with Sona, there was no hiding the rage in those violet eyes.

"My peerage is akin to family. Each one was reincarnated with their _full_ acceptance and acknowledgment of what it would mean. I provide everything they need, and they want for very little. I may be strict, but I am not cruel."

Sona was also not very fond of being called a child. She was young, yes, but every little thing she gained, was from her own efforts. Until she had proven herself as able-minded and showing her parents that she could maintain the Sitri name to the standard they had, there were very few liberties she was given.

" **Then you are more the exception, than the rule. Your race likes to talk big, but when their bluff is called, very few are able to back their claim."**

Sona had to give her that much. Devils were greedy, prideful, entitled. Her generation has proven to be more so, thinking themselves the center of the universe because of the way the older generations doted on them.

A low birth rate and the cost of both the great war and civil war had made parents overzealous with their children. The children were given everything they wanted, told they could have any _thing_ they wanted, with little to no work involved.

" **Only time will tell if you are, how you claim to be. Back to the matter at hand. This member you have, why not take him to Tannin? He has already joined the devils, I imagine he would have no issue taking another student to train."**

Tiamat raised herself back up, and Sona was starting to get used to the pressure pounding down on her, making her thoughts more coherent and less emotionally driven. Tannin had gotten used to reigning in his power, in order to deal with the devil masses.

Tiamat made no attempt to restrain hers at all, as she hardly dealt with them.

"He has trained with Tannin before. While it helped my pawn greatly, his progress has become nonexistent as of late. No matter how hard he pushes himself."

Sona steeled herself, preparing herself for just about anything. If there was going to be a violent response, this was when it would happen.

"Elsha Laevateinn believes you to be his best hope, and-" Sona nearly fell to her knees, as that pressure from Tiamat expanded several times over.

The Chaos Karma Dragon immediately stood, glaring down at the puny devil girl before her, smoke billowing out of her jaw.

" **Bring the host of Ddraig to me."** The smoke got thicker, and Sona could see the small fingers of fire climbing through her massive clenched teeth.

"With all due respect Lady Tiamat." Sona struggled to her feet, doing her best to look and sound resolute.

"I will not bring him here, just for you to kill him."

The smoke got lighter, as the flames became more present, and the heat was starting to make Sona sweat. Tiamat let a low and menacing growl echo off the trees and down the cave behind.

" **Then I will search the Earth for him myself, burning through cities and towns until I find him. The NorseFire Dragon has not** _ **once**_ **appeared from within that prison. You and Your sister, the Leviathan, have wasted my time with your lies."**

Sona felt the ground quake underneath her feet, as the thick blue tail smashed into the rocky soil, leaves falling and wildlife scattering to save themselves from the mighty beings' wrath.

She felt an almost unbearable urge to run a hand down her face. Issei was a great addition to her peerage, but with him came so many unknowns. His mother, the two human girls, his near death the moment she turned him. It was almost too much.

He had done nothing to Tiamat personally, but now she had to weigh the lives of those in her territory, to that of her pawn.

"I can assure you, that Elsha _has_ emerged. From her own words, she has been awake longer then Ddraig himself, who only woke up after the reincarnation."

Sona's mind raced, looking for a way that might help dispel the anger being directed at her.

"He can show you himself." The tail stopped moving, as did the rest of Tiamat's body.

"Elsha taught him astral projection and can materialize her out of the boosted gear."

Sona waited for a response, a change in posture or expression, anything to be able to tell what might happen next.

" **If you fail to bring him to me, or this is some sort of trick, both of you die. The collateral will depend on how long it takes to find him."**

The words were quiet and menacing, promising a death that would not come quickly, or painlessly.

Tiamat turned and walked back into the cave that she called home, leaving Sona alone with her thoughts.

 **-LineBreak-**

The moment Sona came into view, Issei was trying to stand up from his spot on the ground and go over to her.

When she waved him off, to just stay where he was, and Momo pushed him down by the shoulders. She'd been trying to massage out the knots on his shoulders, and between his shoulder blades.

His muscles were adapting, and still trying to manifest the wings that the dragon blood thought was already there. The end result was feeling like he always had an ache he couldn't get rid of. It was tolerable but had been gradually getting worse.

The peerage all saw that their king was in no mood for questions. One arm was propped and holding her chin, while the other was across her abdomen.

"Ise, let's go." She gave them nothing, other than that order for the pawn.

Most looked at the heiress, confused by the sudden order when they were told that training was the only thing on the agenda.

Issei and Tsubaki however, looked concerned. Tsubaki, because she knew where Sona had gone. The king hadn't wanted anyone but her to know the specifics just in case things didn't go to plan.

For Issei, it was that anxiety, that cold grip on his heart he _knew_ came from her. What kind of meeting would make his unflappable king react that way?

Sona called a transport circle a few feet away from them. Before she moved too far away, she turned to Tsubaki.

"Do you remember when to call?" Her gaze was serious as it normally was, but this time it felt different.

Tsubaki nodded.

"If you don't return by nightfall."

A small sigh escaped Sona, and she turned to Issei.

"I'll wait for you in the circle, while you say your goodbyes. Be sure to let them know that we _should_ be back before nightfall, but that all depends on your instructor."

Light brown eyes widened as Issei thought he knew what she was talking about. Surprisingly, Kaori was the first one to come up to him for a hug and kiss. Unsurprisingly, Reya's was still the most intense.

There were gone in a flash of blue as Issei waved to the group, trying to give them a smile that hid how nervous he was getting.

When it died down, Issei looked around the forest.

"So, this is the familiar forest?" The trees looked a little strange to him, but he saw the resemblance to the ones near Tannin's territory. The bark was a weird mix of a brown and gray, also being much taller and thicker than anything he'd ever seen in Japan.

Sona stepped over a tree root that stuck out from the ground. She was only paying half attention, thinking over her choice.

The death of one over the death of many. That was the choice that Tiamat had given her. She would just have to believe that the dragon king would refrain from killing him or anyone else.

"Yes, and with the progress you've made in getting contracts, we'll be returning here soon so you can find your own familiar."

That was only sort of accurate, but Sona said it still counted. His number of contracts was middle of the road, compared to other peerages. With the amount of time he spent training though, Sona was more than pleased by the number.

The thing that was strange, is that he had 14 contracts, 9 of which were all _technically_ the same person. Dissociative Identity Disorder, or so Jade and Barry claim. Barry was the one he saw the most after _the others_ convinced him to summon Issei. A little flamboyant, but he was a nice guy. When Jade was out, it made him uncomfortable. Talking to a girl living in a man's body creeped Issei out at first.

Issei could smell something in the air, and he turned his nose up to get a better read of it.

" _Ise dear, get ready to bring me out."_ Elsha spoke out loud, getting Sona to look over at the green glow on his hand.

The scent was stronger when he turned to the right, where the area had more rock than soil. There were plenty of others in the vicinity, but none were as strong as the one he picked up.

A breeze carried more of it to him, and Issei was finally able to make sense of what to compare it to.

Salted figs and fire. An odd combination to be sure, and not one he'd think would mix well. This was the only time he'd experienced the scents seeming to come from the same source.

Bringing his head back down, Issei swore he saw a woman there just a moment ago. His libido often rose when he was stressed, so he wrote it off as his mind playing tricks on him.

"Issei I would advise you to do that _now._ " Sona urged her pawn.

She was getting the feeling that something was about to happen, and neither of them was equipped to handle it.

Shaking his head, Issei closed his eyes to focus.

He was still a little tired from training with Yura, but he'd be able to bring Elsha out for a bit and be fine. If Sona had come back right as they finished, he might not have had the energy to do it at all.

The wind felt like it was being pulled back in the opposite direction as golden particles started to drift together.

Maybe this is what he needed. To be tired from the beginning, then trying to push his skills further. Ddraig had told him that the threat of death was the best thing for growth, but he wasn't exactly comfortable with that right now.

"Look out!"

" _Tia don't!"_

Elsha and Sona cried out at the same time, just as his picture of the NorseFire dragon completed.

The world felt like it was turning all of a sudden, the back of his knees throbbing for a reason he couldn't place.

Any air in his lungs was forced out when a solid impact came to his stomach, and his eyes flung open.

His head smacked the ground after his back, and Issei was left gasping. He couldn't breathe, couldn't see more than a vague sense of color, and his hearing was just a loud ringing with inaudible mumbles behind it.

 _ **[You have to get up Partner.]**_

Ddraig's voice rang inside his mind, but Issei was still too dazed to understand.

The colors blended, blue into gold directly in front of him, with a variety of brown, green, black, white and purple mixing in between.

When he tried to take a deep gasping breath, his ribs felt like they were being held down by a plate of heated steel, and that heat was slowly spreading outward.

It hurt like only one thing had before. The fire that had scorched his lungs when he was turned into a devil, it felt a lot like that.

Issei had to get up, he _had_ to see what was happening. They came here peacefully, looking for training, not to get the shit kicked out of them almost right when they appeared.

'I have to get up. I have to protect her.'

Sona was here, and he had sworn that he'd keep her safe.

The first of many intakes of air was finally achieved, as the colors finally started to separate from his vision, forming the shapes of three bodies.

On his fourth breath, Issei slowly pushed himself to sit up. That burning sensation on his chest had only lessened a small amount, but it had dwindled enough that he could do something other than focus on the pain.

One of the bodies, one that was a clearing mix of white, black, and magenta, leaned down from beside him.

"How bad is it?" a hand, soft and small, touching the skin on his chest.

He'd know that voice anywhere, but it had spoken with more emotion than usual. It was Sona, she was the one there with him. Issei took another pained breath before answering.

"Nothing like having your chest caved in to feel alive. I'll be okay."

Blinking his eyes hard, Issei tried to focus them back to normal.

He could finally see the strands of black hair, the rims of her glasses, and those eyes of hers that sucked him in every time.

Her eyes were shifting from him, to just in front, where the other bodies were.

" _He's not like the others Tia, I promise you."_

Issei could hear that Elsha was close and had to be the one right in front of him. Pushing himself to stand, Issei raised his head to see who in the hell had just almost knocked him out so quickly.

"I could _smell_ his desire for power from my home. As glad as I am that you are here, those like him should not be allowed to draw breath."

Elsha _was_ the one closest to him beside Sona. Standing there almost protectively, her white dress and golden hair almost seemed to glow, but that was probably his eyes still recovering.

The other was another woman. Long pale blue hair extending down her back, eyes as blue as the ocean. Those eyes were set in a firm scowl.

Maybe an inch or so taller than him, Issei took a better look at his attacker.

Beautiful and clearly dangerous, Issei could instinctively tell that not only was this woman a dragon, but one far superior to him.

" _His desire for power comes from a place of love, not because of some supposed destined fight."_

Elsha glanced back at him and smiled, happy to see that he was at least back on his feet. Issei hadn't seen it, still sizing the woman up.

" _I lost my way because they thought me perfect. Ise is already better because he knows he is flawed, and his loved ones would never let him give in to the feelings of the past."_

Long legs adorned by a navy-blue knee-length skirt, her button-down shirt was the same shade and looked to be having a hard time staying together as her chest pressed against it.

"Why do you trust him so much?" The new woman, who Issei had guessed to be Tiamat, crossed her arms as she continued to only give Elsha the time of day.

He was thankful for being given the time to recover from whatever way she'd attacked him.

" _I've watched over him since he was just a small child from inside the boosted gear. He has_ _ **never**_ _acted with malicious intent. Issei is just a young man placed in a situation outside of his control."_

Both Sona and Issei felt like ants when Tiamat finally turned her gaze to them. Blue reptilian eyes looked the Red Dragon Emperor over, weighing the options available to her.

"Should I agree, you know what I demand in return."

Seeing the opportunity, Sona placed herself in the conversation. She hadn't spent all that time back home learning negotiation tactics for nothing.

"If compensation is a concern, you have my word that your price will be met."

Tiamat smirked, finding something in that statement to be funny.

"It is not _your_ word that matters." Her eyes settled on Issei.

"Well, hatchling? Do you want the same training I put the NorseFire dragon through?"

When all three women turned to him, Issei rubbed at the back of his head, a habit he'd been trying to break himself of.

"I don't really have any money to pay you…" He admitted like it was some great embarrassment.

When Sona opened her mouth to offer it, Tiamat shut her up with a sharp glare and a flare of power.

"Currency is not what I want. Ddraig borrowed something of mine before he was stupid enough to get himself sealed. I want you to find it."

Issei blinked, wondering why it seemed to be such a big deal to her that he finds whatever it was Ddraig lost.

 **[That's the reason you hate me? Because I lost your treasure when I** _ **died**_ **?]**

" **Yet** _ **again**_ **you seem to have forgotten. Did we not go over this with three of your past hosts?"** Her voice was laced with venom and power, vibrating the air like a shockwave.

"But I am not talking to you Ddraig. My goodwill and trust for you was ripped apart with your body, so _**stay out of this.**_ "

Elsha walked to stand by his side, opposite of Sona, even though she could have just appeared there.

"Will you accept hatchling? My offer will not be available much longer."

Placing a hand on his shoulder, Issei saw Elsha smile and nod.

Looking over to his king, Issei just saw her thinking deeply. If she disagreed with what Tiamat wanted, she would have voiced it by now.

"I accept." He said, bowing down to her.

"I look forward to learning from you."

When he heard the dragon chuckle, Issei raised his head.

His eyes lifted back to her and immediately had to close from the wind kicking up dirt and rock.

Tiamat exerted her power on the world around them, creating a funnel of wind that knocked Sona back several feet, dispersed Elsha into golden particles, and had Issei sliding back.

" **Foolish boy. You want to be tutored by the strongest dragon king?"**

As the wind continued to slap against his skin, Issei felt like something inside of him wanted to break free and take control. Whatever Tiamat was doing, was making him angry and excited at the same time.

He felt like she was belittling him, deeming him insignificant, unworthy of even existing in the same plane as her.

The rational part of his mind knew that he was nowhere near her strength. But that instinctual desire to prove her wrong still wanted to come out.

" **Show me that you're worth my time. Make me see that you** _ **are**_ **different than those that came before you. Prepare yourself young drake."**

The wind died and Issei was able to see again, only for his gaze to take in something he didn't know was possible.

Blue wisps of something most definitely intangible surrounded Tiamat. A visual representation of her power radiating from her body.

" _She wants to see if you'll drown in the power."_

Issei didn't need to see her to know that Elsha was not exactly happy with what was going on. He had spent most night training with her, trying to get used to the way his body felt with its changes and was able to pick up on her tones and moods.

'Not really sure what that means.'

Tiamat raised a hand, gather a plethora of that blue energy into her palm.

 _ **[She's challenging you partner, knowing that you will fail.]**_ Ddraig added, his tone bitter from being talked to like a forgetful child.

'And I _still_ don't know what you're talking about!' Issei wanted to scream at the two of them, wishing they'd just use words that made some fucking sense.

" _You need to stay calm Ise. That is exactly what she expects to see, for you to lose your composure."_

With her other hand, Tiamat sent a small blast of her power. As it rushed by him, Issei almost wanted to call it fire, but it didn't give off any heat.

" _Dragons are like many creatures that humans are familiar with. The only thing that's relevant right now, is the feeling she's causing inside you. Do you remember what caused the death of almost every other boosted gear wielder, myself included?"_

Of course he remembered. The juggernaut drive, a power that came from the release of Ddraig's seal in the boosted gear, driven by the hatred and resentment of all the other wielders. While its strength was supposed to be immense, it also drained your life force and took your sanity as collateral.

'I remember.' He'd been extremely surprised to learn that the calm kind and compassionate woman that was the NorseFire Dragon, had been killed because of that curse.

" _The hosts of the heavenly dragons are especially susceptible to giving in to the curse when they are backed into a corner with no other way out. You are the wielder of the dragon of domination, and Tiamat is challenging your dominance."_

Dodging another blast of that strange blue manifestation, Issei was sure that this wasn't even 1% of what she was going to put him through.

And he was feeling like Elsha was dancing around whatever she was really meaning to say.

 _ **[For all of your progress these last few months, sometimes you're as dense as a toddler. A dragon issues a challenge for only two reasons. To have the other submit and obey whatever whim, or to secure a mate. The only difference between the two is the intention.]**_

Issei didn't have the time to react to what he'd been told, as the challenge finally started to get underway.

Tiamat launched the much larger attack towards him, following behind it to catch Issei off guard.

She was only going to hold back enough for him to survive with a moderate injury, if he teetered on death's door from what portion of her power she used, then this meeting had been pointless.

Sona had risen from the ground and finally came into view, just as Tiamat was launching her pawn through several trees.

 **-LineBreak-**

Sona scrubbed at her glasses with a frown on her face. She'd been getting daily reminders of why dragons were so feared throughout history.

Even with the magical application to her glasses, she still managed to find bits of dirt embedded into them over the last two weeks.

"Mother and Father, I understand. Why other devils seemed to have taken an interest in my peerage still alludes me."

She was sitting at her desk with over an hour before any of her peerage would start to arrive. Across from Sona, sitting in the chair with a serious expression was her sister Serafall.

"Contract numbers are public record. Every family knows that you are one to watch, in regard to the young devils. There was even a gossip piece in one of the newspapers."

The meeting had started the usual way. Which meant that Serafall had clung onto Sona with everything she had. Sona only got away because of mystical means that the world would never know.

The main topic had gotten the eccentric devil king to turn serious…thankfully.

A large piece of black and white print appeared in the magical girl's hands, and she looked down to the desired section.

"Sona Sitri spotted with former Dragon King Tannin!" That was the title of the headline for this particular piece.

"They mentioned a young man being with you, speculating that it was a new peerage member. They don't know his name, sacred gear or anything significant about him. The underworld only knows that you have a new pawn and have brought him to a major player for some reason."

Frustrated that she couldn't get that last speck of dirt from her frame, Sona gave up and just put the glasses on. She'd give a more thorough attempt later. That crunching and grinding sound when her frames shifted was incredibly distracting.

"Then I still have time to prepare."

With a sigh, Serafall made the newspaper vanish.

"That's why I'm here actually."

Sona never liked it when her sister spoke in that tone. Last time had been when she heard of how her parents had made arrangements to marry her off. Now Sona had to wonder what sort of trial she was about to be put through.

"Ajuka agreed to see the Red Dragon Emperor and check his evil pieces. But that's not all. The Bael family has also taken notice of your movements. They know that you wouldn't use your pieces on someone that had no prospects. The fact that you took him to Tannin so quickly after reincarnating him has them curious."

Her hands were steepled on her desk, as she tried to look at every angle. The Great King of Bael was the defacto leader of the devils. That family held more political influence than any of the devil kings individually. If any of her plans were discovered too soon, she could be shut down before she even really got started.

"What do they know?" Sona asked, her violet eyes and voice coming across with the same temperature as her sister's famed ice magic.

"We're not sure. Zekram and Lord Bael have many loyal to them, but what information they have and where it came from can't be determined yet. The only thing we can be sure of is that your property scouting and mysterious new servant were noticed."

Lord Bael

A man that was as prideful as they came. Even taking another wife _just because_ Misla Bael had given birth to a son without the power of destruction. He called both of them a disgrace, sending the pair out to the edges of their land.

Having a harem wasn't uncommon for a devil, but the Bael family held themselves to a different standard. A man from that family was expected to marry the best woman the underworld had to offer, and there would be no other. But Misla had been pushed into the dark corner of the underworld, forgotten and left to rot. The poor woman hadn't even opened her eyes in almost a decade. Lord Bael's father had been the first to take more than one wife, a decision that had apparently been looked down upon by his family for a long time.

"Sona, you're running out of time. Riser is pushing to move things up sooner than you planned. If Issei Hyoudou isn't ready when the time comes, all of this will be for nothing."

Her hands fell from in front of her face and onto the desk.

"But the agreement says that Rias has until she graduates from a university!"

Her hands clenched the table, nearly digging scratch marks into the hard wood. This shouldn't be happening. The plan was for _Rias_ to take the fight to him, requesting an unofficial rating game to free herself.

Without Rias' help, she was going to have an even harder time.

Serafall reached over and placed a hand on her sister's.

"I know, but he's gotten wind that Rias thinks she found a way out of the engagement. He can only push so hard without upsetting either family, so there's still a chance that the timeline isn't too affected."

When Sona unclenched her hand, her sister went back to her seat.

"The four of us are behind you on this, but we have limits to what we can do. Issei Hyoudou needs to be extraordinary by the time Riser comes around. You, Tiamat, Rias or _whoever_ is training him, need to cover all bases. Power, strategy and political."

She should have listened to that little voice in the back of her head, saying that it wasn't enough.

"I can't push him any harder. He comes home every day with at least one broken bone and bruised ribs, _worse_ if he wasn't performing at 100 percent the entire time. Momo and Reya already have their work cut out for them with the healing."

Not that they minded in the least. Sleeping naked with the man they loved was no hard task to perform.

Although it _had_ made Reya a little irritable.

"I needed both of them to be their last night just to make sure he didn't stop breathing in his sleep."

Dislocated knee, broken left wrist, punctured lung, probable concussion and a shattered thumb. Issei would be fine by the time he woke up, but he was in a lot of pain until he fell asleep.

The human girls weren't going to like it, but there was little choice. Issei was going to have to train with Tiamat full-time during the summer break, and then continue his daily beatings after school.

The only plus side would be the little time he'd have to spend around Ayla.

 **-LineBreak-**

Momo stood at the doorway and took in the scene just in front of her.

She had only gotten up to go and shower, before helping his mother with breakfast. It had appeared as though Reya was still out cold when she got up.

Clearly, she was wrong and those few minutes were all that her friend was waiting for.

Healing Issei had been a blessing in disguise. She didn't like seeing him so exhausted, pained, and broken, but having that direct contact with him was bliss.

If she hadn't just showered and gotten into the school uniform, Momo might have just joined into what her friend had started.

The click of a cell phone camera went off, and only Momo appeared to have heard it since Issei was too busy panting and trying to catch up.

Kneeling on the floor at the edge of the bed was Reya, tapping on the screen before putting it back into Issei's bag just within reach.

'She's got it _all over her face!'_ Momo mentally screamed.

The brown braids were undone, and her body was still as unclothed as it had been when they went to bed. What stood out right now, was the whitish fluid that ran from her scalp and down to her chest. The bishops face had been particularly covered.

Reya turned towards the door with a smile of smug satisfaction.

"What better way to say I love you, then a good morning blowjob?"

Issei raised his head and a finger to say something. Right as he did, Reya turned back to him and made a show of slowly licking the fluid running down her cheek. Humming as though she liked the taste.

He fell back to the bed, and Momo watched as he seemed reinvigorated by what she'd done.

"Are you feeling better Ise?"

He could only nod to Reya's question.

"Do you believe that I love you now?"

Those brown eyes twinkled in delight, loving the way that she left him breathless from her mouth and breasts.

"Y-yes."

His lungs took in large gulps of air.

"Good." Reya dipped her head, sucking off the remnants that had escaped her before.

Issei twitched and moaned on the bed until she pulled her lips off of the tip.

Momo watched as Reya stood and walked into the hallway, not caring that his mother just might see the girl covered in cum courtesy of her son.

Covering himself with the blanket that had been tossed to the edge of the bed, Issei sat up. Normally he wouldn't even think of doing this, but Reya had been pretty clear before she… did what she did.

"Momo." Even just getting her attention had his heart starting to pick up its pace again, although for a very different reason.

Issei felt a little more confident when he saw the way her eyes trailed over the uncovered parts of him like she was admiring a work of art that was just out of reach.

He scratched at the back of his head, a nervous smile coming over him.

"This probably isn't the best time to say this, but I might just get too nervous to do it later."

Momo felt her like her heart was dropping into her stomach, as he readied himself.

What was he going to say? She hoped it wouldn't be the "let's just be friends" thing. No, it couldn't be that, not with the way he pulled her in when they kissed.

Was he going to…?

"Reya said that I was pretty easy to see through, but I don't want you to be left guessing."

'Just spit it out already!' The pounding of her pulse was the only thing she could hear aside from his voice, and the anticipation was killing her.

He might not have gotten the message until the girls made it abundantly clear, but Reya was right when she told him that they knew how he felt.

All he needed to do was say the words.

"I love you Momo."

She couldn't keep herself from pouncing on Issei, kissing him until she felt dizzy from the lack of air.

Reya may have gone a little over the top in getting things to move forward, and Momo would get her back somehow, but for the moment nothing else mattered.

With summer vacation almost here, Momo was looking forward to getting some quality time with him.

 **END!**

 **Lets see…where to start.**

 **I didn't want to focus on Tiamat too much on this chapter, because that'll be a large part of the next one. Her and Issei will be almost all of it.**

 **Next, the ending. I was trying to come up with a way to get here. I went with this, so the other girls can tease Momo about it later on and stuff.**

 **The Bael part. Some of you are probably thinking that I'm going to paint them as some evil motherfuckers. That's not the case. They are just prideful and stuck in old traditions, not wanting to see things stray too far away from that.**

 **If you want to join the DxD fanfic discord server, send me a message and i'll give you the invite.**

 **Later**


	19. Breaking the Balance

**WEEK 1**

"Come sit down Ise." Sona pointed to the spot across from her.

The blanket set before them didn't help to alleviate the feeling of the hard ground just underneath. Taking up most of the space were several large books and a chessboard all set up.

He'd been out here for several days now, living in the familiar forest just a few hundred feet from the mouth of Tiamat's cave.

She was here because Issei needed to continue to learn how to think strategically, to predict what your opponent would do and find a way to counter it.

The sun had gone down over an hour ago, Sona being held up because she'd been summoned to meet with Lord Beelzebub.

Before taking him to Tiamat, they had gone to the lab where the evil pieces were created, and Ajuka had scanned Issei. The results had taken some time because the devil king wanted to exam all the results thoroughly.

What she was told gave her a new appreciation for the very thing that enabled devils to increase their numbers.

The evil piece placed into a person had the ability to mutate, she knew that already. What she didn't know, was that under the right conditions, that mutation came with an evolution of sorts.

Not even the creator could determine what it might be. The only thing they knew was that Issei was on the edge of mutating one of his 8 pawns. That was the theory behind Issei being able to bring out that family trait when he was with Rias, but that couldn't be confirmed unless it was observed.

This had raised a question that Sona _needed_ to be answered.

"Would that mean that only someone with a mutation pawn would be able to trade for Issei?"

Sirzechs and Ajuka looked at each other knowingly, the Crimson Satan being there had merely by chance.

 _Supposedly_

"The only limitation to a trade is that it must be a pawn for a pawn. There is nothing in the system that denies a trade other than that."

It was obvious why such trades were never heard of. Why would someone trade their own mutation piece for a regular one? The loss of such potential was not something a devil would just readily accept.

Sona would only be trading her pawn for a short time, but it would probably be the only trade of its kind since the creation of evil pieces.

The subject of said trade was pacing around the blanket, something that was starting to get on her nerves.

" _Ise._ " She called out to him once more, a little more force in her voice this time.

He stopped just to the right of her before sighing. Coming to the spot she had pointed at, Issei plopped down and rubbed at the back of his neck.

"Sorry, Kaichou. I know it's stupid, but I can't help feeling nervous with me being away for so long."

He'd been antsy enough when she took him to Tannin for a _week_. Now he was spending almost an entire month away, which was only made worse because of that disaster of a stray hunt.

"It's okay. You were there when Katase and Murayama were given the contract slips, and when we placed the ward on your home. They're safe, I promise you."

It was the strongest one that they could muster. Herself, Tsubaki, Reya and Momo had taken nearly an hour of preparation just to make sure the strength and scope of what it would detect was sufficient.

"Shall we begin?" Pushing her glasses into place, Sona flipped open one of the books and slid it to be facing her pawn.

When Issei nodded, they began what was becoming their nightly ritual. While playing a game of chess, Sona would ask him questions covering several topics. They could range from tactics to naming the pillars, or historical events of the underworld.

Her goal was a simple one, really.

Multi-tasking was an essential skill for a good king. Issei needed to be able to think and act at the same time. The first attempt at this had been a horrendous failure, but like most other things Issei was adapting quickly.

"What is the term for the Fallen Angel organization?" Sona made the first move on the board.

Tonight, Sona was going to change things up a bit, jumping to a variety of topics rather than picking a single one.

"The Grigori." His answer came quickly, moving a pawn on the board just as she had.

Sona had noticed something in his style of play. Issei preferred to use the pawns rather than risk other pieces. He seemed to relate the game to her peerage and protected the bishops above all others except for the king. The only other piece he frequently used was the rook.

She wasn't sure if this was even a conscious thought for him, it did however, give Sona a look into what Issei thought of her servants.

It shouldn't have been too much of a surprise since he and Yura had seemed to work extraordinarily well together. The blue haired rook was the easy-going type and had taken to his orders when they were fighting together with no issue.

The knight was used with caution, the bishops only when absolutely needed. What Sona took note of and reminded herself to fix in the very near future, was how he only used the queen as a last resort.

The game continued in its usual way. Sona decided on a strategy to use and watched how Issei countered all the while quizzing him. Things took a turn that surprised her when one of his pawns made it to the other side of the board.

 _Aside from house Bael, what are the highest-ranking pillar families?_ That had been her question, as Issei moved the pawn.

"Balam, Belial, Beleth, Vine, Paimon, Purson, and Zagan. Promote to queen." Issei answered without needing more than a few seconds.

When Sona looked back at the board, she wondered where Issei would move next. His choices were aggressive and belonged to no strategy she could name. Three pawns sat in front of all the other pieces. Each of his rooks positioned at the outer edge acting as a sort of wall or watchtower. The knights were next, in a spot where they could swing out on either side of a pawn, and the bishops deeper in his defense but still able to maneuver out if he needed them. Sitting in the back were the King and Queen, untouched by this point in the game.

She'd taken the other 3 pawns as she set herself up for a more defensive play. This _one_ promoted pawn was a wild card that had her mind racing through everything she knew of the game.

That was why Sona loved this game. No other game she'd played had the same potential for the unexpected. Countless strategies had been crafted over the years, many with apparent holes that could be exploited, some that could be deployed mid-game with only a few pieces necessary.

Whatever Issei was doing had been intended from the start, and the longer she pondered on what his strategy was, the more excited she became. He was pushing forward yet holding back.

Sona was tempted to go on the offensive just to see what he was planning. The knight on her right side moved to where it would be in the range of his pawn.

To her surprise, it wasn't one of the pieces close by that he moved. Instead, it was his newly promoted pawn, seating itself in a spot that was able to take her knight no matter what she did. His piece was vulnerable where he put it but judging from his playstyle, that was a calculated and accepted risk.

The smile on her face was a poor representation of what she was feeling. Sona was seeing the proof of how her choice had been the right one. She knew that Marriage and having children was something she couldn't escape from, but Sona wasn't opposed to that.

Her problem was with the possible suitors and their view of the underworld.

Too many of the men that her parents would most likely arrange for her, would be happy with the status quo. They had lived in luxury all of their life, using the system and behind the scenes bribes to gain what they wanted, but would never strike out and do something different.

Why would they? There was no immediate personal gain from something like that.

This was a big part of the reason Sona made the agreement for a chess match to determine her husband. Someone who was able to beat _her_ would have to think outside the box, see other angles, picture the future in ways that many didn't.

By using a strategy that Sona had never seen before, Issei was proving himself to able of doing just that.

The two of them were fire and water, polar opposites in so many ways. But they were symbiotic too, acting apart and together at the same time. Issei was going to be the source of a great deal of change in the underworld, the fire that burned away the old and rotting. She would be the water that nurtured new life, feeding that seeds that would sprout into something new, something better than what had been there before.

Issei started to succumb to the exhaustion brought about by his training with Tiamat, and Sona won their game.

When they retired to the tent Issei called home until the start of the new semester, Sona didn't feel the same nervous embarrassment that had come over her before. Issei needed to be healed every single night, and only the king would be welcome near the home of the strongest dragon king.

Issei was asleep before Sona could remind him to face away from her, laying on his back and sprawled out over the mattress she summoned for them. With only a set of underwear covering her body, Sona felt the chill of the night air enveloping her.

Waking him after the way he exerted himself recently was a hard task, something that she'd learned since the summer break began.

Sona shivered as a stronger breeze came in through the cracks of their makeshift abode. She was perfectly capable of using magic to keep the temperature at a more reasonable level, but that would leave her more drained then the healing she was already required to do.

Full body contact was the advised way to conduct this particular method, but Sona just wasn't comfortable with that yet. The loss that came from wearing underwear during this procedure was minimal though. As long as she mended him with regular magic when she appeared, Issei was at full capacity by morning as things were.

Sona sighed as she saw that Issei hadn't bothered to get under the blanket, instead just laying on top of it. She was probably going to have a hard time sleeping now since she was not someone who could sleep when anything less than warm.

There wasn't much that she had to do tomorrow, so if she took a nap during the day it wouldn't be the end of the world.

Coming to the side of the bed, Sona slowly crawled close to Issei, preparing herself for a long sleepless night alone with her thoughts.

If he were awake right now, Sona had no doubt that she would be incredibly embarrassed. One of her arms was underneath him, the other lying across his chest, with her legs tangled into his. This was an incredibly intimate looking position to be in.

'He might have beaten me had he not been so tired.' Already Sona was losing herself in thought, as her body soaked up the heat he radiated.

Her fingers traced along his chest, feeling the proof of how hard he was working. Issei wasn't some overly muscled gym rat, he didn't have the build for it. He was much like many male pure-blooded devils that way, only a few families having the stature and genetic disposition for the muscle mass of anything resembling a human body builder.

Sona doubted that he went without a shirt for very long each day, probably only to bath in the spring nearby. But his skin held a tan easily, and he was just a shade darker then he had been when he left. The only thing she'd noticed was that it made his almost golden eyes more pronounced.

Underneath that bronzing skin was the lean muscle that was far stronger than anything a human double his size could produce.

His base strength had certainly gone up, a fact made clear by how sore he claimed to be. Supernatural beings had regenerative properties that usually made muscle aches nonexistent. The only times it happened, were when they were pushed well beyond the limits they had.

Wondering if his speed had been just as affected as his physical power, Sona squeezed her legs around his. She paused when Issei shifted, and she felt the tight muscle in his legs move with him.

'He thinks more about brute strength than anything else, or at least that's what happened before.' She doubted Tiamat was purely focusing on how hard he could punch, but perhaps focusing a little more on speed wouldn't hurt.

Her back and shoulders quivered as a stronger breeze came through. The paradoxical feeling was strange. The front of her body was content from the heat Issei produced, but her back felt like it had been exposed to winter winds.

-!-

"mmm." Issei shifted again, and this time Sona couldn't help the blush.

Issei had rolled towards her, his arms coming to wrap around her body. When his hands started to rub up and down her back, that cold feeling started to go away.

"Cold….Sona…?" He was still fast asleep, as she could tell by the dead weight of the rest of his body. He had either felt the breeze and just acted on a subconscious instinct, or their connection gave it away.

Either way, Sona was feeling that warmth take her away. Her limbs tightened around him and her head dipped to his chest, nuzzling her cheek against him to get more comfortable.

Breathing in that slight smell of fire, feeling and hearing that thump of a heartbeat lulled her to sleep quickly. It would be the first time since this began that she didn't wake with a headache or feel the need to down more caffeine then she would normally have in a week.

The nights in that tent would give Sona a taste of something she knew was inevitable, but something she felt she wasn't quite ready for. Sleeping beside someone, getting accustomed to the way the bed shifted from the extra weight, the white noise of their breathing or light snoring, it was hard to go without it once it became a common occurrence.

 **-LineBreak-**

Diving down into the hazy water gave Issei a strange feeling every time he did it. The top was nice and cool, the bottom hot and bubbly. If he could maintain the depth and hold his breath for long enough, Issei would just stay right in the center.

The "sun" was peeking over the horizon, which meant that it was time for his daily bathing attempt. Sore muscles and aches down to the center of your bones made it a little difficult to do after his training.

His head sprung from the water as he gasped for air, looking to the ball of light in the sky. It was a façade, he was told, crafted by the devil kings to help the reincarnated devils get used to life in the underworld. Apparently, most devils resided down here and didn't bother living in the human world.

He took another breath before diving back down. When he got to the point where the temperatures mixed, he yelled as loud as he could muster.

Why did Reya have to show him the wonders of sexual release that didn't come from his own hand, _right before_ he was sent away from them?!

It was torture. Slow, methodical, nefarious torture. Having Sona pressed against him every night didn't help matters at all.

The ever-increasing instincts that he held at bay were furious that he wasn't seeking any of the four girls out right at this very moment, throwing them to the ground and making sure that walking was an impossible task for the next day if not longer.

Maybe she planned it to be that way. So that when he came home, the only thing on his mind would be her and the things they could do. He shook his head in the water, feeling the resistance of it.

That was a stupid thought. Reya didn't know that he was going to be spending all his summer break down here. In fact, she was probably more frustrated then he was if her enthusiasm of sucking him off was any indication.

As he appeared above the water once more, a light bulb went off in his head.

He had 4 girls….

Against all the odds, he had a harem.

The moronic middle schooler still residing deep within started chuckling as he realized that he had achieved the very goal that he and his 2 friends had set out to do.

…

They were going to be _so_ jealous.

Motohama and Matsuda had the benefit of getting into the same school, so they hadn't gone through the same realization that came from being apart. Which was, that girls don't want a guy whose goal is to be fucking multiple women, with that goal being the driving force of who he courted.

Men, especially young men, were driven from hormone produced desires. School, food, bathing, thought, all of it was put below the need to spread the seed, as puberty took its course.

It had taken quite a few lonely nights and several ice-pack filled days for him to fully understand this. Yui and Kaori had been unrelenting for the first few days after meeting them.

The girls wanted someone to share with, spend time around, have fun, talk, someone that _cared_. And Issei did, it was just buried beneath all the dirty thoughts and fantasies that became his normal train of thought when he was around his old friends.

After scrubbing himself down as best he could in the shallow parts of the spring, Issei stepped out onto the small patch of grass before the rocks became more prevalent. With it being so early still, neither Ddraig or Elsha was awake at the moment.

He wasn't sure if they ever really _slept_ , but they did go silent for hours at a time, so he assumed they did.

Looking up into the sky, Issei sat down on the grassy area to enjoy his brief time in peace. Once the sun cleared the tallest tree, Tiamat usually woke up and would start pounding into him almost immediately.

If this is what Elsha went through to become so strong, he had a new appreciation for her kindness. Issei could see this type of thing ruining someone's demeanor for a good long while.

A leaf was crunched behind him, a sound so small that it went unnoticed.

Elsha and Tiamat had a few conversations since he'd been here. It had only lessened hatred towards him enough that she wasn't snapping his arm every day just for the hell of it.

The dragon king was still skeptical of him, but that was okay. As long as he could help his girls, help his family stay safe, she didn't have to _like_ him. It would help, but it wasn't necessary.

She also hadn't told him anything of this treasure yet.

 **-LineBreak- WEEK 2**

"It feels…Like…You're trying…To kill me." Issei wheezed in between words as he laid on the ground.

Once again Tiamat had shown him just how far down the totem pole he was. Every attempt he made at an attack was deflected or dodged, sometimes even just straight up reflected back to him.

"It wouldn't seem that way if you weren't so weak." She had never given him anything but the blunt truth.

At first, Issei had been thankful for it, if a little agitated by the constant dismissal. But now it was starting to bring him down.

It didn't feel like he was getting any stronger. The increased time in the spars only seemed to be from him getting used to her movements.

"Get up." She demanded as Issei felt her presence wash over him once again.

Slowly, Issei stood from the ground, almost falling when his arm buckled. When he turned to face Tiamat, her blue hair whipped out behind her as that same blue manifestation swirled around her body.

A dragon's aura was a powerful thing. Issei had been told that on multiple occasions. But only when he saw the chaos karma dragon make it visible to him, did he finally understand just _how_ powerful it could be.

Tiamat was a beauty that Issei thought would be hard pressed for any supernatural being to match. That was overshadowed by the vicious way she approached 'training'. There were no breaks between different exercises, outside of getting into position.

If she knocked him down on the last set of a physical spar, the moment he stood upright signaled the beginning of the next task.

"Bring forth your aura hatchling." That statement was followed by Issei throwing himself back to the ground in order to avoid the deadly blue wave that whipped towards him.

When he wasn't so exhausted, Issei would have been able to at least _try_ to deflect her attack. As he was right now, that would have only ended in pain. He could hear Tiamat give a sound of disappointment from the side, as he got up and tried to follow her instruction.

Issei tried to be an optimistic person, hoping for things to work out for the better. In this case, the jar was most definitely half empty. He had only been able to make that aura visible once, and only for a mere 5 seconds before he had been too drained to maintain it.

It hadn't been anywhere near what Tiamat could do, only being a thin red lining around his body.

Issei wondered if he'd be able to do better if he were fully rested.

For whatever reason, Tiamat never started their day of training with anything but physical training. He tried asking once, but she just said that her reasoning didn't matter, only the results did. It was hard to argue that point since the strongest woman to wield the boosted gear had been trained by the same person.

It was hard to describe the feeling brought on by trying to make his aura a tangible thing. His body was a jar and the opening is hardly big enough for his hand to fit in. The texture was different from day to day.

The time he actually managed to do it, it felt like he was grabbing snow, only it was the furthest thing from cold. Tiamat's didn't seem to have a temperature even though it had burned his clothes. Issei's did though, and there was nothing he could compare that heat to.

To do what Tiamat wanted, he had to reach into that jar and grab onto his power. Issei wasn't sure where the problem was specifically. He had to grab it and pull it out. If he didn't squeeze it enough, the power would just fall through his fingers. But it he squeezed too hard, it was like he had tapped the same motion of his dragon shot and his energy would come out in an explosive manner.

Tiamat was probably still angry with him over the crater by her cave, from when his body basically exploded.

The fingers of his metaphorical hand dipped into the jar, and he wondered what it would feel like today.

It would have probably gone much smoother if Tiamat hadn't forbidden Elsha and Ddraig from helping him in any sort of way. But she had, and the two had been silent just about the entire time he'd been here.

Issei could feel his instructor getting ready to send another blast his way when he finally 'touched' his power. It was like putty, pliable to his will. The only limitation was his ability to mold it inside of the small space it resided and pull it out.

The attack was launched at him, the blue fiery matter about the size of a volleyball. Issei wasn't confident enough to move and still maintain his focus, so instead, he had to hurry and hope that he succeeded in time.

He didn't.

Issei was sent flying back a few dozen feet, his redshirt sporting a nice hole burned through it. When his body met the ground, he rolled until a tree made him stop, coughing from the force and the dirt he'd accidentally inhaled along the way.

Aside from the ringing in his ears, Issei thought he heard something sizzling.

Propped up to his hands and knees, Issei opened his eyes and tried to figure out how far he'd just been launched.

'What the fuck…?' He was having a hard time making sense of what he saw.

Everything was coated in red, the few and far between blades of grass being burned away, and the smaller grains of gravel melting into glass underneath him.

Not realizing what was happening, Issei quickly stood up, nearly losing his balance as he did. The red was still coating much of his vision.

When he turned to where Tiamat was standing, looking for something to tell him what was going on, he was met by the surprised look on her face.

Her blue eyes were wide open, and her mouth slightly hung open. It was the first time he'd seen anything other than anger or indifference from her. She was staring at him, or rather the red aura billowing off of his body.

Issei looked at his arms and saw that the red stuff was densely packed around his body, whipping off in tendrils like he'd seen with Tiamat's own. He was still pretty tired but bringing forth that aura almost seemed to revitalize him in a way.

Since he was thinking in terms of analogies, it was like trying to fill a cup that had a false bottom. He had gotten used to that fake piece being the limit of his stamina, of his cup being full. Whatever had just happened inside of him, had taken out that false bottom, and he was able to feel the full scope of what he could do.

That look of surprise then turned into a bloodthirsty smirk.

"After 11 days, the hatchling finally shows some _real_ progress." Judging from her tone and look, Issei was not going to like the amped up training she was about to put him through.

Her eyes darted to the line of bushes on the edge of the clearing quickly, before settling back on Issei. Something was there, watching them carefully. Tiamat knew what it was but had no idea _why_ it was here. As long as it stayed out of the line of fire and in the background, she had no problem with it.

Issei still hadn't noticed the creature that had likely been watching him train for at least several days now. His senses were likely jammed up with her being so close by. Not that he was accustomed to using them like she was anyway.

'Why are you _here_ little one, and not at the mountain?' Tiamat had accepted the task of training the devil host of Ddraig. She was not about to let her curiosity get the better of her when the chance for her treasure to be returned was her reward.

As Tiamat gave Issei instructions on how to best use his aura as a weapon, the creature in hiding stayed. Seeming to wait for the right chance to do whatever it was planning.

 **-LineBreak-**

It was cold here. Too cold.

The only place she could find the warmth to sleep comfortably was by that steaming water she saw _him_ in. It was where she met the half-kin and had been staying for a while now.

She didn't know what to do. The half-kin was nice to her but did not have the means to help her. Millie, she said she was called.

Millie was not bothered by the cold and was claimed by the devils. There was always the chance that she'd leave one day, and not come back.

A weak cough escaped her mouth, the entirety of her small and weak body shaking and convulsing with each one.

She was tired of being sick, she was tired of being tired, she was tired of being hungry. It was the only thing she'd felt in too long.

Her large wings ached as they rested against her long and scrawny body. For a dragon, she was a disgrace, or at least that's what the others had always said.

'Even mother said so, in the end.'

A dragon was meant to be big, powerful, fearsome. She was small and too weak to even fend for herself. A lifetime of illness had left her body deprived of the nutrients needed for growth.

When she had gotten one of the others sick, her mother and the other adult dragons told her that she had to leave, before all of them were infected with the strand of flu she had gotten as an infant.

Her tail dipped deeper into the warm water of the spring as her mood lowered further.

The dragon flu was a nasty thing, and one of the only illness' her race was affected by. But this strand of it had killed a few over the last couple of years, and her immune system had never fully developed because of how young she was infected.

The berries and fish she had managed to scrounge up would only be enough for so long. She needed help.

She didn't want to die.

She wanted to fly without getting winded so easily, to enjoy the things others her age were able to. But she couldn't. Even if she had the ability to leave the underworld, the humans would only hunt her like some sort of monster.

Her search was getting frantic as the days went by, and she could feel how much weaker her body was getting.

When she saw _him_ , the one with the brown hair, the one that was dragon yet devil, she hoped he would help.

But then she saw him go to Tiamat, and that hope was slowly dying just like her body.

Tiamat didn't like dealing with the ones that she had previously lived with, but she didn't know why. Neither did Tannin now that she thought about it, but he at least still cared enough to come by every now and then.

How did the brown haired one look like a human? The winds that she _should_ be able to manipulate easily, had carried his scent to her from a distance. He was pretty strong, but from what she'd been told only the strongest were able to look human.

She wanted to talk to him, to plead for help even if Tiamat was there and tried to convince to stay away.

He smelled like the fire that was always burning in the center of their village. Red, hotter than anything she'd ever experienced, but pleasant and welcoming at the same time. That dark scent of devilry hid behind it, but she didn't care.

'If I could just talk to him…'

But she hadn't been able to speak in over a week, and any movement made her shake and get cold. How long had it been since what little fire she was able to breathe had snuffed out? A year, maybe even longer?

'If only I looked like him…'

Then she could go to the human world, bask in the sun and get warm, find food and stay away from the sickness that always seemed to find her.

Her dark gold scaled body started to go limp against the ground, as the exhaustion started to catch up. It always scared her, the chance that she might not wake up the next morning. But luckily this area didn't have many predatory creatures, thanks to Tiamat living nearby.

The idea of looking human was stuck in her head, as the already dark surroundings got darker from her fading vision. And the harder she thought about it, the faster it dimmed.

Even as she fell asleep, her lungs wheezed as they inhaled as deeply as they could, her body shook, and a light cough came after almost every single one.

The chances for a lower level wind dragon like her attaining a human form were nearly zero.

But if there was a chance, she would take it…

No matter what it might cost.

 **-LineBreak-**

The sun rose up over the horizon, painting the sky from its dark colors into an orange almost fiery glow.

When Issei opened his eyes, he wasn't surprised to feel that Sona was already gone. She had started leaving before he woke up for some reason. That was fine, even though he wouldn't mind waking up and feeling her holding on to him.

'Oil and water.' He had to remind himself. Kings and servants don't mix that way. It was getting harder and harder each time though.

Setting his feet on the ground, Issei stretched and tried to wake up enough that he wouldn't just fall asleep while trying to wash up. His thoughts drifted back into an area he felt best avoided.

Sona wasn't busty or curvy the way a lot of other girls were, but it didn't make her any less beautiful. Her violet eyes were an especially vibrant contrast with her deep black hair. He just wished that she would smile more.

Even the small ones she would sometimes show, always managed to leave him stunned for several seconds afterward. Each time Issei had been able to do nothing but stare.

"better get to it… Otherwise, Tiamat might just drag me to the spring and throw me in… again." He shook his head and walked out.

He was feeling pretty good today. The training had definitely picked up in its intensity, just like he thought it would, but since the day he managed to access his dragon aura he'd been healing up better.

Issei was at the halfway point in his training here, and Tiamat said that it was just about the time that he started using the boosted gear. He was looking forward to it, and finally getting passed whatever evolution stage he was apparently at.

With a towel over his shoulder, Issei walked along the path to his bathing area. He was thinking about trying to take two a day because Sona had commented on how he smelled when they went to bed.

She hadn't said he smelled _bad_ , but that was what he figured she meant.

It was probably true, with how hard he was working during the day. Although now that he thought about it, he hadn't been sweating that much. Either Tiamat's fire or aura was evaporating it, or his own was. That didn't mean he was left stench free though.

Speaking of stench, something caught his nose as he walked. Issei turned his nose up to get a better whiff of it.

And instantly covered his nostrils.

Rotten eggs and spoiled milk, maybe with a dash of feta cheese along with it.

It didn't smell good and almost had him gagging from it. Hopefully, it wasn't close to the spring, and the scent of the minerals in the water would keep it away.

Issei decided to just breathe through his mouth until he got to the spring, thinking on how he might stack up against his fellow peerage members after this training. With the way that Tiamat had been favoring physical training most of the time, he figured that he'd be able to take on Yura and win.

When the water came into view, Issei took a large breath through his nose. As soon as he did, the bushes nearby were unlucky enough to be chosen as his spot to void his stomach.

The smell was much stronger here. It was like he had crammed the stuff right up his nostrils.

"Gonna have to snort some water or something to clear that out. Fuck that smells…"

He mumbled as he wiped at his chin. Once his stomach felt settled enough, he made the short walk into the clearing towards the water.

Just as he was about to drop his towel and dive in, something caught his eye.

On the far back right of the spring was a figure lying on the ground, one leg in the water.

Not moving.

Issei ran over, thinking the person to be injured or worse. Even if they weren't, and had just fallen asleep, this was not the kind of place to do that.

The howls, barks, and grunts he'd heard since coming down here made it obvious that something would take advantage of whoever was lying there.

He wasn't about to let someone become an easy meal.

Issei ran along the water's edge, his bare feet toughened from exposure over the last two weeks crunching the grass and gravel beneath him.

"Shit.."

He could see that it was a girl, a small girl.

The closer he got, the more worried he became that something unimaginable had happened to her.

She was naked, turned on her stomach, and unconscious.

"Hey, miss!" He called out as he got closer.

Her sandy blonde, almost brown hair went down just below her shoulder blades but didn't cover the fact that she had no underwear on.

Issei slowed down to a fast walk, now only about 30 feet from the girl. From her size, she couldn't be older than 10. Thin legs and arms, her ribs showing against her skin, she looked extremely malnourished, he could even see the vertebrae in her spine along her back.

Kneeling down, Issei looked her over really quick.

She was alive at least. Shivering, wheezing, naked and alone in a place that had monsters of a wide variety… but alive.

A series of coughs came through her mouth, and Issei leaned back as her head turned to cough in his direction. She sounded like shit.

What made him worry more, was the way her entire body convulsed when she coughed. It looked and sounded painful, with her legs and arms clenching like that.

"Miss…" He called out, slowly reaching to touch her on the shoulder.

When his hand touched her skin, his eyes widened from how cold she felt. It was icy almost.

He didn't know what to think, but the girl seemed to welcome the heat he produced. Her head had turned towards him and she gave a very quiet and content sound.

Maybe he could warm her and wake her up at once.

With a hand on each of the girl's shoulders, Issei started to rub hard, hoping that the friction would at least quell the cold she was feeling. The shivering started to go away.

"Miss… wake up."

Issei pulled his hands away, figuring that he'd done enough to try and wake her.

But still, she just slept.

Her lips pulled down and brows furrowed, as another coughing fit came. This one sounded wet, and as the last few came out, the girl heaved in as much air in between as she seemed able.

Issei went to try and wake her again when she turned over and started shivering once more.

He ignored the fact that he was right in front of a naked girl. For one, she was incredibly young, and looking at her with anything other than concern at the moment was just wrong. Issei did _not_ have a thing for kids.

His heart ached when he saw her abdomen. It was sunken in and her ribs were the only thing giving her a slightly average form. It looked like she hadn't had enough to eat in _months_.

What was strange though, was how clean she looked. For someone so malnourished, she was clean and her skin smooth and unblemished.

So at least he ruled out physical abuse.

But why was she out here?

"Miss you have to wake up!" Issei tried being louder this time.

The only response he got was her eyes fluttering like she was in an unpleasant dream.

" …." Something came from her lips, but he hadn't been able to hear it.

Words didn't seem to be working, so Issei went back to warming her up, and hoping that her eyes would open.

Issei suddenly felt like an idiot. Here he was, trying to warm someone up with his hands when he was _literally_ a dragon. At least partially.

Looking around, he saw that there were enough small dry pieces of wood and leaves that he'd be able to start a fire that could keep her warm.

Quickly gathering what he thought would be enough, and his towel to cover the girl up, Issei got to work.

Only a small breath of flame was needed to get the pieces to light. Once that was done, Issei sat by her side and wondered where to go from here. Small hands clutched at the large towel, holding it against her as tightly as he imagined she was capable.

The girls face had sharp features, even for a girl as young as he thought she was. Her skin was a shade that couldn't be healthy, but then again, he only knew so much about devils or other supernatural beings.

The minutes ticked by as Issei wondered what to do. Should he call Sona? Should he bring the girl to Tiamat?

That smell from earlier seemed to be coming from her, so maybe she was sick?

But why was she out here alone?

Even though the fire crackled not more than 5 feet away from her, the girl shivered uncontrollably. Issei was still unsure of what to do.

If she was a devil, who did he bring her to? Surely Sona would know.

But Tiamat assumed a human form, so maybe she lived in the familiar forest? If so, then Tiamat would be the best choice. He felt no power from her, and the only thing he could smell was that apparent illness that had her cold and coughing.

"…Help…" Issei stopped his wandering thoughts when he heard her speak again.

It was quiet, almost beyond his enhanced range of hearing, but he was sure that she'd just said 'help'.

There was no way he was about to just leave her here.

When her stomach growled, and Issei could visibly see the way it rumbled the towel, he thought that bringing her to his tent would be the best bet for now. If he could get her to wake up, Issei would give her some food, talk to both Tiamat and Sona about where to go from here.

 **-LineBreak-**

Sona rubbed the bridge of her nose as she felt the magic circle transport her to the familiar forest. Mornings were beginning to get tiresome for her. It wasn't that she was having trouble sleeping, quite the opposite actually. Issei was a fantastic source of heat to keep her warm while she healed him.

For some reason, she just wanted to lay there late into the morning, feeling that the day could wait even though she had things to do.

Another reason was the return of Aayla Belet, the succubus student council president of Kuoh Academy. The girl had gone on an extended leave of absence for a coming of age period that her species 'required'.

Unfortunately, whatever was supposed to be done during this period, hadn't occurred yet.

So Aayla was irritable at best until she 'finished' at least 3 times.

The student council room had been soundproofed in case Sona needed to have sensitive conversations relating to the supernatural, but Aayla was using that as a go-ahead to be as loud as she wanted while watching her… visual prescription.

Porn.

The girl was watching porn and masturbating in the office.

The months ahead were going to be tiresome, until Aayla graduated.

"- _Any_ cells in that brain of yours?!" Oh great. Tiamat was yelling for some reason.

The flash of blue died down, and Sona was met with a clearly irate dragon king and a surprisingly confrontational Red Dragon Emperor.

"What was I supposed to do? She's just a _little girl_ and clearly needs help!"

The two of them were standing by the tent, Issei crossing his arms while Tiamat literally had smoke coming from her nose and mouth.

" _That_ is no little girl, _hatchling_. That is a dragon that has an illness that kills the likes of you and I. From what you've said, and what _I can smell_ , she is so ill that she's likely to _die_ any day."

Sona rose an eyebrow at hearing them. She took an inhale of breath but didn't catch anything unusual.

Her pawn went rigid, but from what she wasn't sure. The only thing she could tell was that something in that statement didn't sit well with him. He looked sad for a moment before that turned to burning resolve.

"It has to be a sudden onset, so maybe if she gets some help she'll be okay. That smell wasn't around here yesterday."

He turned towards the tent, and Sona felt his pieces vibrating strangely trough their connection.

"This world is going to chew you up and spit you out _very quickly_ if you do not harden yourself to the harsh reality that some are dealt."

Sona expected Issei to back down, thinking that Tiamat had beaten down her pawn enough times that he would concede to her will.

She was wrong.

While she suspected that this was a result of Tiamat's presence reinvigorating the dragon instincts her pawn was still developing, Sona saw this as a good thing. He didn't back down just because someone stronger or of a higher station said he should. He just needed to know when to follow that instinct, and when to stay quiet.

"If she's a dragon then why don't you want her to live? Haven't the numbers dwindled enough? I refuse to believe that someone as compassionate as Elsha would call you her friend if you were so heartless."

Sona expected that there had been some change in the interactions between the two of them because the dragon king didn't explode on him.

"You misunderstand my acceptance of the young one's situation Issei."

Although judging by the expression Issei had, this was likely the first time Tiamat had actually used his name.

"She has been lurking in this area for most of your time here. I had wondered what her intentions were, and now that has been answered. Your presence drew her here. It is likely she would have approached you before now, had I not been around. She is weak to the point of throwing her pride away, something that a dragon would only do when extremely desperate. Her transformation only makes the outcome clearer."

Sona stepped from the place where she'd appeared, the light crunching of gravel beneath her shoes alerting the two dragons of her being there.

Her pawn's eyes widened, and a small look of hope came across his face.

"I see that once again, things have taken an unexpected turn for you Ise." He gave her a wry smile, while Tiamat merely rose a brow and crossed her arms. Sona's presence was probably not really _wanted_ , but the dragon king wasn't arguing it… yet.

"Why would this dragon stalk my pawn rather than come to you Tiamat? Also, why does this transformation have any effect?"

Sona had read as much as she could find on dragons, but texts on the race were scarce and only helpful when dealing with the ones that had significant power. The heavenly dragons and dragon kings mostly. Everything else was generalized information that seemed to apply to most subspecies'.

This was an opportunity to learn, as well as solve a problem.

"The wind dragons hardly leave their mountain on the edge of devil lands. They are a prideful bunch, more than they really have any right to be. Wind dragons are a low tier, the strongest of which is only on par with the average high-class devil. Their only claim to fame is speed."

Tiamat looked over to the tent, a brief sad look coming over her, almost quick enough for Sona to miss it.

"The little one is small for her age. She has likely been sick for most of her life. The strand of flu that we dragons can contract festers and gains in strength with weaker hosts. She forced herself into a human form, making her look like a child of no more than 10, draining almost all of her power from her body. The flu will take advantage of that."

Sona went over that information, while Issei looked like he wanted to run into the tent and comfort the sick dragon.

"But…why would she try to look human if it would only make her worse?"

Tiamat did not wither under his pained copper stare. All she did was make a gesture towards him with her eyes and head.

Issei stepped back like the revelation was a physical blow.

"I did this…?"

When Tiamat nodded, she also raised a hand to stop Issei from any further outbursts.

"Her clan worshipped Ddraig for his strength, and even still has his flame heating their village. She may not have realized who she was seeking, but your aura feels quite similar to his, due to your turning. You are the reincarnation of the being that her family has praised for centuries. When she saw you in human form, my guess is that she tried to emulate it in order to approach you."

Issei had his head lowered and his fists clenched to the point they were shaking.

"No… not another."

Sona had heard about the development he'd gone through so far but was not prepared for it to manifest itself right now.

 **[Boost!]**

The red gauntlet appeared on his left hand. The call from the Welsh dragon echoed off the hills and trees, bouncing back to them like a faded reverb effect.

Issei's hand clenched a little more, and a sea of red erupted from his body.

Sona had to cover her eyes from the light that his Aura produced. While the pressure of it was astounding, it didn't affect her like Tiamat's had. Instead of a sense of impending doom, Sona felt like that red energy was more comforting than anything.

Like feeling a soft current of warm water pass over and through her, it wanted nothing more than to bring peace to those who were in its hold.

From her peripheral, Sona saw Tiamat narrowing her eyes in thought.

 **[Boost!]**

The next call rang out sooner than expected, the green gem in the center of the gauntlet pulsing brightly.

'I won't let another die because of me.'

Issei's mind was racing, from the image of that woman dying because he wasn't quick enough, to what could happen if he kept being so hopeless when it mattered.

A black talon slicing through the skin of a human that was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

 **[Boost!]**

The strike to the head that had knocked out Tomoe and left her vulnerable.

 **[Boost!]**

Reya's limping steps when they were finally finished, something that had only happened because he had hesitated.

 **[Boost!]**

The way Momo could hardly keep her eyes open as they walked away from the scene and towards the transport circle.

While it may have seemed insignificant, the way Sona hadn't adjusted her glasses back into their proper place on the bridge of her nose spoke more of her exhaustion than words could.

Then his mind took the route of the what-if scenario.

What if it hadn't been his devil friends that had been caught in that fight?

What if it had been Yui that had been the one to take that strike to the head.

It had been able to knock Tomoe off her feet. The chance that his pink-haired, sharp-tongued friend would walk away at all, were small.

And Kaori… If it had been _her_ to take those wounds to her leg, what were the chances that she wouldn't have bled out on the ground?

It made him angry.

That was a B-class stray, and he was supposed to be the wielder of something that had made the leaders of all three factions band together because of his might.

The aura expanded, pulsing from its position around Issei to the encompassing area.

He wasn't good enough.

He had to be _better_.

No… not better. He had to be the _best._

The last image to pass through his mind before the world exploded in red and green, was that of his mother being impaled by those talons, the unmoving smirk of the stray so close to her face, contorted in unimaginable pain.

 **[Boost!]**

What was all of this training and preparation for, if not to prevent things like that?

 **[Boost!]**

His hesitation had already cost _one_ life.

 **[Boost!]**

What would it cost the next time?

 **[Boost!]**

5? 10? 50?

 **[Boost!]**

…

…

His world grew quiet as something brewed beneath the surface. Issei couldn't see it, but Tiamat smirked as she felt the shift in the balance that held the world together.

It was a universal law that was only able to be broken because one deity sought to even the playing field. To give the creatures he loved above all others a chance to fend for themselves.

Sona felt like her body was being pulled towards that red _ocean_ radiating off of her pawn. The trees, the sky, even the dirt underneath her was tinged in the color represented by so many things.

Desire, power, aggression, fire, blood, violence, excitement, _passion, love, sincerity, happiness_.

Sona had seen most of these aspects represented by her pawn in spades, and the others fit well if only because of the abilities he was working to master.

A thought passed through Issei's mind. One that opened so many possibilities, but also brought just as much danger along with it.

Sickness and death was part of the natural order of the world. It gave room for others to take the place of the one leaving this plane of existence, nourished the earth with the minerals of the body.

Power was how the world worked, whether it be physical, political or financial. The weak bowed to the strong, followed them in the hopes that they could pick up the scraps.

Hesitation leads to mistakes, mistakes lead to a shift in power.

Power was how he would protect what was his.

He was born as a human, a being so low on the totem pole that they were overlooked by the supernatural as just a tool to further their own goals. Sona wouldn't come out and say it, but it had become clear to him.

The order of the world, the _balance_ , said that he should be insignificant in the grand scheme of things. His will should have no effect on events that took place.

'Fuck the order, fuck the balance. If balance says that I have to lose what's _mine_ …'

…

…

' **I'll break it.'**

 **[Welsh Dragon Balance Breaker!]**

Underneath that bright glow emanating from his body, Sona and Tiamat were able to see the red plates of armor appear on his chest and legs, extending outward from the center of each jeweled piece.

Every new section seemed to slide out from underneath the last, covering the upper arms and legs, before moving up his abdomen and covering his shoulders.

Issei lifted his head, and the two women saw his eyes shining the same emerald green of the gems of the armor. When the plating reached his chin, two small golden horns along his jawline, the helmet materialized out of thin air like the centerpieces had.

A sound of something leathery reached them before two massive wings expanded themselves from his back. The membrane between the red spines being gray, a tail extending from between his shoulder blades and reaching the ground with a thud.

"I suppose Elsha was right." Tiamat broke the silence that had descended over them after the loud announcement of Issei reaching a new level of power.

Sona wanted to speak, to ask what Tiamat meant, but her mind was too overloaded with everything else going on at the moment.

Her pawn stood there clad in the armor of legend, radiating enough power that she thought would even give a few of the newer ultimate class devils a run for their money. Sona wanted to know what had gone on in his head that triggered this change.

They had only been having a conversation about a sick dragon. One that had been apparently trying to confront him, when she….

Violet eyes went wide when she realized it.

The dragon had forced a change upon herself that was going to kill her, with how weak she already was. This human form was only something she wanted because _Issei_ had a human form.

He felt that it was his fault. That her condition was something he had personally caused. To Issei, it wasn't a poor choice made by the person affected. Instead, it was just another example of his failure.

"You're different from the other hosts."

Issei turned to the tent as his new wings folded in.

"I won't just stand here and let her die. If power is what she needs to pull through, I'll give her mine."

Looking down to his left hand, Issei called out to the dragon that had been quiet for most of his time in the underworld.

"Ddraig, you told me that sacred gears are powered from the users' will. Can I help her?"

Each of the gems pulsed as the Dragon of Domination responded to his host.

 **[You may not be able to cure her, but you can certainly make it easier for her body to fight it off.]**

When Issei started walking towards the tent, Sona started to follow. Just before she pushed the opening aside, Sona heard a metallic clang on the floor, as Issei dropped to his knees.

"I'm sorry Kaichou, I didn't mean to ignore you like that. Especially when you're only here because I called you." Issei apologized when he heard her enter.

Sona caught sight of the girl they were talking about, her eyes giving an experienced once over. Her family had the most advanced hospital in the underworld, and several renowned ones in the human world. Medical situations were nothing new to her.

Even if this girl were awake, Sona doubted that she'd even be able to stand in her emaciated state.

"Don't apologize. You're doing a good thing Ise. Although I hope that you don't get sick as well. Here." A magic circle spawned around on her hands, which Sona held in front of where his nose and mouth would be.

Being this close to his armored form, Sona couldn't help but think of how intimidating it looked. Sharp lines along each of its edges, along with the large wings and tail, it was no wonder that the Red Dragon Emperors of old were so feared. If it wasn't the power they held, the look might have scared a few enemies off by itself.

The place just in front of her hand now had an almost invisible current of air. She placed her hand on the ground next, and the same circle and effect came about inside the entire tent.

"This will help. The air is being pushed through a magical filter of sorts. It _should_ kill any virus the girl is breathing out."

The walls of the tent waved from the air current. Sona was better with disinfecting things through her water magic, but this was something that the hospitals under the Sitri name used to help clean the rooms.

The one placed on the tent itself wouldn't have been enough since Issei was in such close proximity to the sleeping girl. He could have gotten infected before her magic had the chance to clean the air.

"This isn't your fault." Sona tried to convince him as he gently placed his hands on the girl's chest and abdomen.

 **[Boost!]** The gems covering him shined for just a moment.

"Not entirely, but I should have noticed her earlier. I was so caught up in my training that I didn't notice a thing."

 **[Transfer!]**

The two watched as the girl's body visibly relaxed, her eyes fluttering behind her eyelids.

"How long will that last for her Ddraig?"

 **[She's not exerting herself physically, so probably a few hours. I would only give her one at a time partner. Wind dragons are not all that powerful, you could cause more harm by giving her too much.]**

Ddraig's voice was surprisingly quiet and almost sounded sullen. Tiamat had implied that Ddraig had some sort of relationship with at least one wind dragon, but neither his host or Sona were inclined to ask about that right now.

The red helmet faded from view as Issei turned to his right, facing his king with a pleading look.

"Kaichou, if she doesn't wake up in the next couple days, can we get her to a hospital?"

True to her upbringing, Sona went over the pros and cons of helping this dragon quickly in her mind.

There were only 2 things that Sona considered negatives about helping the girl. The first was that the girl likely didn't have the money to pay for treatment. The dragon was without aid from her family, and dragons were selfish in nature. They didn't distribute their wealth lightly.

The second was how the girl would react when and if she ever woke up. If she awoke to find herself in an unfamiliar environment and didn't want to be there, she might attack anyone coming in to help.

But… She _had_ sought Issei out in the first place. Perhaps a dragon's pride wouldn't be a factor for this particular one. And just maybe things would turn out in their favor.

'She might even want to be his familiar.'

If that were the case, Sona would certainly pay for whatever treatment might be required.

This left her in a similar situation that she'd found herself in Issei. There was a high risk, but also a high reward. In terms of a familiar, a dragon of any type was rare and powerful.

Was she willing to take those risks?

"I'll work off the bill somehow, I just… Please Kaichou, I need this."

Maybe being around Issei was affecting her more than she previously thought, as she smiled warmly at him. How could she deny him anything, when he asked her like that?

Her nature as a devil was being stoked to an extent she'd never experienced before meeting Issei. The selfish pride of seeing something more powerful than herself, pleading for her to grant his wish was satisfying in a way she couldn't describe.

She relished in the simultaneous envy and wrath that Rias displayed when she learned what sacred gear her new pawn held.

Her greed had caused her to want him in her peerage, Gluttony over wanting him to be as powerful as can be had been just as much for her goals, as it was for her desire for _more_ of it.

The worst of them, the one that had been slowly gaining momentum, was lust. The one that she was particularly susceptible to, because of which family she came from.

"We will get her the medical care she needs."

Before she knew it, Issei had turned and pulled her into a tight hug, one hand at the back of her head and the other on her back.

Issei was only making her struggle worse. The feel of something so powerful made those lustful thoughts bubble up from the depths. His charisma, the magnetism given to him from being the red dragon emperor only multiplied it.

"Thank you." He said with a bright and relieved smile after he pulled back.

Sona fought down the urge of what Rias had described to her several weeks ago.

For the few seconds that they maintained eye contact, Sona wanted to get him out of that armor, and out of his clothes. At the same time, she wanted to do the same thing herself.

Luckily her own family trait didn't work as well on her as it did on others.

The urge to kiss him though… that one she didn't think was because of some supernatural phenomenon.

Before she stood up, Sona almost thought that she saw Issei slowly moving his face towards hers. Good, at least she wasn't the only one struggling to contain herself. As hard as it was going to be, she needed to follow the standard she had set for herself.

Nothing could happen between them before he beat her in chess.

As she stood though, her hand had slid from his shoulder to his cheek.

'But…maybe a kiss would be…no. Not yet.' Her eyes shifted from his lips, back to his eyes.

"I'll see you tonight."

There was one thing she _would_ do. And that was to remove any barriers between them while they slept. If Issei asked she would say that the increased contact, as small of an increase as it would be, was to help promote better healing.

It was a weak justification for wanting to satisfy the need she felt. He had obtained his balance breaker, and she knew that it would leave him more drained than before. Tiamat was not likely to keep the same level of training now that he had it.

Sona would not put a label on whatever it was that she felt for her pawn. That would only make things more difficult. It was already getting bad enough that she was considering losing a match _intentionally_. The thought had only crossed her mind twice, but still.

Hopefully giving in to that desire to have them sleep naked, would slow down any other urges.

Sona walked out of the tent while shaking her head.

She knew that wasn't going to happen, but what else could she do?

If anything physical happened between them, her mother would just call her a slut and pull back any support from the plans Sona had. And what if Issei never managed to beat her? He'd come close before, but then he'd started to fall asleep.

Rational thought did not mesh well with desire. When the personification of that desire kept proving themselves worthy in more ways, it became near impossible to hold back.

'Just a little while longer.'

 **END!**

 **I wanted to finish the training scene with this chapter, but I really didn't want to put up a 15-16k update. I gotta stop doing that. I don't have much planned for the last bit of training, just some conversation between Issei and Tiamat about her treasure and his progress.**

 **And then there will be the scene with the nameless dragon, and what brings Issei back home.**

 **I wanted to flesh out the conversations Issei had with both Tiamat and Sona during the time of this chapter, but it would have felt like an info dump. Let me know if the Sona thing felt too quick. I have a decent timeline in my head of when things are going to happen between them.**

 **One more thing I wanted to say. Issei getting Balance Breaker. It was sort of anti-climactic, but I didn't want it to happen from something dark. I wanted it to be something that helps push him in the direction I've wanted since the beginning.**

 **If someone is threatening him or someone he cares for, there is no holding back. He's going all out from the start. Fuck theatrics and buildups in fight scenes.**


	20. 11th Hour

_They_ watched, glancing through the droves of unrefined life walking through the gates.

It was fitting, _they_ thought, that the young birds walked passed the gates towards the one that would bring salvation.

The world did not see how stagnant their existence had become. The masses believed themselves whole and complete, without having experienced true suffering.

 _Suffering will bring out their true selves. It will make them stronger, or they will die._

 _They_ called themselves the hoard. _They_ were many and yet _they_ were one. Those who resided in the same mortal shell, and did not condone the other's actions, had been shunned from the light.

Patricia, Dennis, and Hedwig all saw the truth. _The Beast_ would help show the world that _they_ were not weak or defective. _The Beast_ would show them all.

 _Only through pain can you achieve greatness. The impure are the untouched, the unburnt, the unslain! The broken are the more evolved. Those who have not been torn have no place in this world. They are asleep. We will help the worthy awaken, and the tainted will be our sacrifice for ascension._

As the birds walked, carrying the sticks they thought made them more powerful, the beast stole the light and took control of the body they inhabited.

Nose turned up, something caught the creature's attention. Something familiar. A scent on the brown and pink haired ones.

Yes, they would do. Those two interacted with the false prophet, his smell still lingering on their bodies.

It wasn't yet time to reveal the truth to the world. But _soon…_

 **-LineBreak- Week 4**

It was time for Sona to wake up.

Her internal clock had the heiress waking at the same time every day, just before dawn. Even though her mind knew that her body just didn't want to listen. She was quite comfortable where she was at the moment, the only reason she wasn't drifting back to sleep was that there were things to be done.

Once again Issei had shifted in his sleep, holding her body against his chest securely. She wondered if he would be embarrassed if he were to wake up right now. As she had suspected, Tiamat had amped up the training once he unlocked his balance breaker, and that little extra skin contact had helped to keep him healed and ready to go the next day.

Naked as they both were, Sona was having a hard time keeping a blush off her face. It was a stupid thing to think that she somehow wouldn't crave something more from this. His heart thumped in a strong and steady rhythm, his skin giving her the warmth she needed to fall asleep in the first place.

But these weren't what had Sona flustered.

Among the Japanese population, Sona was an average height for women. But for a devil, she was on the shorter side. Her legs had tangled themselves with his beneath her, her head resting against his chest just below his chin. Her situation would have been worse had she been taller.

She didn't need to turn her head to see what the warm pulsing thing nearly wedged between her ass cheeks was. Sona knew she should be getting up and head back to her office to deal with the paperwork for the new term, but her mind was having a hard time convincing her body to do anything at the moment.

Today was August 23rd, which meant that Issei was just about to reach week #5. Sona was glad that things had worked out in getting Issei trained with Tiamat because he was showing a similar growth rate from before. If he could keep working on extending his limit with his balance breaker, then she was confident that things would work out for the rating game.

Sona lifted her head and looked down to her sleeping pawn. He had 8 more days before coming back home.

She couldn't help but bring one hand out from where they were pulled against herself, and lightly swiped the hair out of his eyes.

He looked so peaceful like this, instead of that fiercely determined look he had when she usually appeared in the forest. From what Tiamat had said, Issei had started fighting differently.

There was no hesitation or pulled punches. When she gave the signal to begin, Issei was going all out right away. Sona couldn't blame him for the change, especially after experiencing the change his aura had undergone. The chance that he would start to draw enemies was only going to grow from this point on.

Even when he wasn't trying to make it surge, Sona could it feel it affecting her. Slowly, like gravity pulling a drop of molasses down the side of a tree, it was drawing her to Issei. A whirlpool whose current she couldn't swim out of. It felt preordained, a fact that was written before she was even born. Sona knew that wasn't true, but it was hard to rationally equate the way in which he had started to dominate so many facets of her life with anything else.

The only other thing she could use to describe what was happening would be to admit something that she adamantly wanted to deny for now.

That she was falling in love with her pawn.

In order to stall herself, to keep in line with her plans and how she wanted to live her life, Sona had to keep thinking that fate was the reason.

Lust was not the reason that she smiled when she thought of the way he touched her and the others like they were made of glass, listened to them as though nothing else mattered but what they had to say.

Lust was what had her staying in place, that itch in the back of her mind telling her to lift her hips just enough before bringing them back down.

She would blame fate for making her want to hear about the things he liked to do, even though she knew most of it. Fate was the reason that she just wanted to listen to that beating heart, feel the warmth that his inner fire produced, lose herself in the protected feeling that came over her when he pulled her on top of him in his sleep.

It wasn't love. Because if it was, then what was stopping her from reaching back with her hand and caressing the appendage making itself known?

Nothing.

If Sona was in love with Issei, there would be no reason she couldn't turn around and wrap her lips around it, licking the underside as she bobbed up and down until she swallowed the fruits of her labor.

By the agreement with her family, the only thing she couldn't do was have that piece of him embedded into her, lighting up the nerves that had never been touched before. Until she was engaged, Sona was to remain a virgin like the devil population expected her to be. The women that got married under the pretense of being virgins and being discovered had not been spoken to kindly.

Sona could _not_ have that cock sliding into her pussy, wet and nearly convulsing in _need_. She couldn't have him kissing and sucking on her neck until she felt him spill inside of her, letting her lay back on the cold wood of her desk as she felt the seed nearly drip onto the floor.

She couldn't do that. There were many ways in which she felt that devils needed to change, but this wasn't necessarily one of them.

But by that same agreement, Sona was completely within her rights to pump her hands along the length until her still blooming body was covered in the warm white fluid. She could let him take her head between his hands and thrust his length down her throat to his heart's content.

If she were feeling particularly adventurous, she could even lather it with her aqueous numbing magic before climbing atop him and letting him slide into her ass.

Sona shook her head before burying it in his chest, the blush wasn't able to be kept away anymore.

Her thoughts were getting more and more sex-driven by the day. There were only so many times she could reorganize the alphabetical list of students before it started to come back.

She wanted to blame Reya for some of it. Her bishop had been all too pleased to share her activities with Issei before he left for his training and was even more pleased by the way that Momo huffed and pouted. Before hearing about that, Sona's most common romantic or sexual thought about Issei had been a kiss.

'Anal sex? Seriously? What in the world is happening to me?'

Even in her thoughts, it was a rhetorical question. Sona knew what was happening. Devils were sinful, but there was always one sin that became more prevalent than others. It just depended on what your lineage was.

Unfortunately for her, both of her parents had a weakness for lust, it was just significantly weaker in her mother.

Both Sona and her sister took after her mother. Serafall was a master at getting information and negotiating with men, which made her great at her job of foreign affairs. Sona took after the more medical and liberal art side.

Had Serafall gone through anything similar in her life? This almost debilitating sexual desire? Sona shifted in her place on top of Issei and was further embarrassed by the clear feeling of a wet spot on his pelvis.

There was only one thing that Sona could come up with to explain that.

Her saving grace came in the form of a communication circle.

" _Lady Sona, your admission has woken up. She's not happy."_

A breath of relief escaped her lips before she could stop it.

"Thank you, I'll be right there." She spoke quietly, not wanting to wake Issei up.

He needed his rest to endure the things that Tiamat was putting him through. That and she didn't want him becoming aware of her current state while she was still here. He was already acting more on instinct than when he'd been with Tannin if he made a move on her, Sona wasn't sure she'd have the ability to push him away.

This concerned her greatly.

Lifting herself up slightly, Sona bit her bottom lip. A large part of her wanted to stay right where she was. The dragon that she'd taken to her family's hospital was awake, and Sona had promised to check in on her. She needed to get up and make sure that the girl didn't start attacking the staff, thinking that she'd been kidnapped or something.

The only one who knew the details of how she got into a hospital, was Sona. No one else would have the answers the girl might be looking for.

Issei shifted, and his hands tightened around her. Not enough to pull her back down, but enough that she could tell he was subconsciously aware that she'd moved.

Sona slowly leaned her head down, placing a kiss on his forehead. She had never done something like that before, but she just felt that she _had_ to do it.

One way or another, Issei was _going_ to be hers. She didn't know how long it would take, but it was inevitable. He could have a harem with her entire peerage and then some, but nothing would change the fact that Issei Hyoudou was her husband.

The sooner that process began, the better. At least then she would have an outlet for all these annoying physical desires that were clouding her mind.

'perhaps those "self-care lessons" weren't so useless.' Sona thought as she slowly disentangled herself from the sleeping young man.

 **-LineBreak-**

The present members of the Hyoudou Residence all sat around the table for breakfast, the sound of cutlery chiming against a plate every few seconds.

The two high school girls could feel a subtle tension in the air but didn't know if they should address it, or how to go about doing that.

Meanwhile, Mr. Hyoudou read the paper and sipped at his coffee as if everything was right in the world.

"Honey, you have that meeting tonight, right? The one with the buyer of the order you've been working on for months?" Mrs. Hyoudou was the first to speak.

The sole man in the house tilted his paper down along with placing the mug on the table gently.

"I do. From what I hear, it's the first of a few meetings we'll be having. They want to go over any changes in materials and the pricing." He said with a satisfied smile.

He'd been working on this order for so long, that finally getting some progress and having an open line of communication was a huge weight off his shoulders.

"What could they possibly want to talk about that would take more than _one_ meeting?" The wife countered, only to be met with a shrug.

"Not sure, but I hear this is a common thing from the guys that have been around a lot longer than I have. They say that most of the time it's just some small talk with a few drinks. And a way to get to know someone and see if you want to do business with them later on."

Even the two younger women at the table realized what much of the conversation would likely be.

Just some guys trying to one-up each other with stories of what girl they may or may not have had sex with.

Silence reigned once more, as the wife and mother tried to fake being okay with everything going on.

The three jumped when her hands smacked the table, getting all the plates and silverware to clang against each other.

"I _hate_ this." She whispered just loud enough for everyone to hear, giving up on trying to put on a supportive façade.

"He's been gone for _so long_." Her statement was a no-brainer to decipher.

Issei had been gone since the day that summer break started, and they hadn't heard a word from him since. Just about 5 weeks now.

Yui reached over and placed on hand on the mothers, holding it firmly to convey her shared feelings on the matter.

"He'll be back soon. Just a few more days."

Mr. Hyoudou had deemed this out of his scope and went back to his coffee and newspaper.

"I just wish I knew where he was, and what he was doing. I know he's under that nondisclosure agreement, but this still feels so _sudden._ "

One day she thought that the only thing Issei did was his student council work and attend the kendo club here and there. The next, she finds out that he's been traveling for a job that he can't talk about, with a business that's run by a globally successful corporation. It was a huge change that she was still getting used to.

Sometimes the girls forgot just how protective and loving Issei's mother could be, after the argument a while back.

As long as you stayed clear of lies and anything she deemed to approach the lines of sexual harassment or deviancy, Mrs. Hyoudou was the ideal mother figure. If you violated those rules, however, she could turn cold and volatile in an instant.

Issei had done that as a kid and now had a healthy fear of ever doing it again. The girls didn't blame him one bit. His mother was scary when she flipped moods like that.

"I just want my son to come home." The girls watched as she got up and started to busy herself with cleaning the materials that had been used to cook their meal.

Katase and Murayama went back to eating. They had to be careful of the time because they were traveling with the other kendo members for the senior matches of the competition. The junior level had already been completed, with Kuoh taking 3rd thanks to Murayama. Yui had gotten knocked out of the running at 5th place, thanks to the surprise of seeing her father among the crowd.

He apologized for missing his daughter's chance at winning, but she was too happy to truly care. She hadn't thought he would be able to make it. For her first competition, 5th place was still a good starting point to build on the rest of her high school kendo career.

Both of them agreed, that it would have been nice to have Issei rooting for them in the stands.

The only solace came from the diminishing scent still in his room. They had decided after his first week gone, that both would sleep beside him from now on.

Kaori felt like a light bulb had just gone off in her head.

"Mother how long has Ise had that bed?"

It still felt a little weird for the brunette to call the woman that, but it made her happy so why not? Also, if things played out the way it had been explained to them, there was a very real chance that the woman turning from the sink could be her mother in law at some point.

Wiping her hands with a rag left there for this very purpose, Mrs. Hyoudou tilted her head as she thought about it.

"I'm not sure actually. 5…maybe 6 years now."

Her brows furrowed as she tried to figure it out by recalling any events that had happened around that same time frame, but nothing came to mind.

"11 years. We bought it at the same time as his desk." The father said in between sips and sounding like he could even recall the day of the week it had happened.

"No that can't be right."

"It was the year I started my job, I still have the receipt from the delivery crew in the office just in case we had to use that 10-year warranty."

Kaori saw the way that Mrs. Hyoudou looked appalled at her son still sleeping on the same bed that was meant for him as a child and intervened before a light-hearted argument could begin.

"Issei said there was a spot in the middle that pokes his back, and it squeaks every now and then." The mother seemed to understand what went unsaid, and that was each of the girls had experienced it themselves because they snuck into his room in the hopes that the parents wouldn't notice.

But she and her husband already knew. As long as there weren't any surprise additions to the family, neither had a problem with it. From what her husband had said, Issei was being much more conservative about his sexual urges then he'd been as a teen.

" _The perks of a curious and promiscuous neighbor!"_ Koji had said. Apparently losing his virginity on his 15th birthday was the gift the girl had given him.

At least the girls that Issei would sleep with were all… Never mind. She didn't want to finish that thought.

"I guess it's time we get him a new one then!" Mrs. Hyoudou chirped happily, thankful for something to do and surprise her son with when he got home. Kaori smiled, before trying to wither away from the knowing glance.

"He probably needs a bigger one too, wouldn't you say?"

Mr. Hyoudou chuckled into his mug as both girls blushed but still slowly nodded. It would be nice to have room for the three of them without being too cramped.

"Well then, why don't the three of us go out shopping tomorrow?" And hopefully, they would be able to have it delivered by the time Issei got home.

 **-LineBreak-**

It had been quite some time since Sona had last been walking these halls. Other than bringing the female dragon here, it had been almost 3 years. Almost everything looked the way she remembered.

The halls were illuminated by expensive bulbs that were easy on the eyes even with the high output. The wood paneling, paintings, and plaques along the walls kept it from seeming barren.

Devils of every sort walked through the hospital. Some appeared completely human, while others had pointed ears or horns on their head, and the rare case of a tail or un-retractable set of wings from whatever they'd been before becoming a devil.

Her steps were measured as she walked toward the wing meant for VIP patients. Since Sona had brought the girl herself, the staff had allowed the use of the more private and expensive ward.

Though as she got closer, she could hear voices getting louder, along with the clang of a tray being tipped on to the floor.

She had wasted no time in setting off to hopefully ease the anger of a dragon in a confined space, only realizing on her way here that being confined indoors might not be the best way for a dragon to wake up. Especially if it was somewhere they'd never been.

The daily reports that the Nurse in charge of the floor sent to Sona made it clear the illness had been dealt with swiftly. Leila, the nurse she spoke with 4 days ago, had asked about the strange energy signature that was mingling with their patients. It had been powerful, filling the dragon to the brim and nearly had her body spasming for 3 days.

Ddraig had miscalculated how much power this dragon would be able to handle. It was a good thing that Sona had taken her here when she did.

The noise of things falling to the floor and the yelling stopped as Sona was just about to cross the threshold of the VIP ward. If Sona didn't know any better, it suddenly felt like Issei was here and in a rage unlike any she'd ever experienced, as the ward was exposed to an uncontrolled release of power.

The silence was broken by the whistling sound of the wind.

It started quietly but was quick to rise until her ears were being pounded by gale force winds.

That was when Sona saw her, sandy blonde hair whipping behind her, as a pair of large beige wings catapulted the _young woman_ towards the Sitri Heiress. Striking hazel eyes widened as they locked onto Sona.

With a flap of her wings, sending paperwork, gauze, catheters, and needles off of a cart and rolling on the floor, the dragon slowed until she could set her own feet down on the ground.

Once she had, the unknown girl eyed Sona curiously, taking large intakes through her nose. Sona stood exactly in the same spot, not wanting to appear threatening or overconfident, staring directly into the dragon's eyes.

It was strange to see that color mixed with the reptilian pupils. The outer parts of her Iris being a sage green, transitioning to a near sky blue for just a tiny bit, before shifting to an orange that replicated the sun.

The illness may have been swept away easily with proper medical care, but her body still showed signs of malnourishment.

The stature of a sickly 10-year old girl was gone. What stood before Sona was a young woman of at least 17, based on the structure of her face. Although, that may have just been due to the condition of her body. The usually rounded face of a child could have faded away as the fat stores were used to just keep her alive.

She was taller than Sona, and probably equal to Issei's height. The dragon was scrawny, slender arms and legs showing out of the hospital gown she had been given by the staff. Determining anything more than that wasn't possible due to how those garments fit. Loose and open backed to keep in line with a "one size fits most" rationality.

"You smell like him."

Sona was taken from her musing when the quiet and raspy voice reached her ears.

'Smell like him? What does she….' Sona stopped the thought as she realized.

Only a little while ago, she had been draped over Issei, both of them stark naked. Of _course_ , a dragon would be able to pick that up.

"You must be his devil mate. Are you here because of what he did to me?" Sona wasn't sure that she heard the inflection in her voice correctly. It almost as though the girl sounded sad like something had been taken from her without her consent.

"He is in my peerage, but there is no sexual relationship between us." 'Yet.' She thought but kept it to herself. There was an image she had to maintain in public.

"Then you allowed it happen?" Suddenly the girl was angry, narrowing those captivating eyes in a way that spoke of no good intentions.

Whatever the girl was insinuating, Sona wasn't following. She needed to be clear with her choice of words.

"I believe we should start from the beginning, as to avoid any sort of miscommunication or misunderstanding. My name is Sona Sitri, heiress to the Sitri name."

…

Sona waited as the girl seemed like she wasn't interested in trading pleasantries.

"Aurora."

Keeping quiet, Sona waited to see if that was all the girl had to say. As the seconds stretched into double digits, she assumed that it was. At least it was a starting point that could help control the flow of things from there.

A few staff members were peaking around the corner from down the hall, not very keen on getting closer to the dragon that had just gone through a series of mood swings, one of which was violent.

"How are you feeling Aurora? When I brought you here, you had yet to wake up since my servant found you. Tiamat wasn't sure you ever would."

There was just a small amount of concern laced in her voice, but even that was a far cry from what the staff listening in could recall of the young devil.

The dragon shifted on her feet, wings coming to fold against her back and her eyes glancing down to the side.

"My sickness is gone."

Sona knew that dragons were not a species that were very trusting, but something seemed off about the way Aurora spoke and acted. Angry one moment, then looking like she was about to fall off a cliff into a deep depression the next.

Was the energy given to her by Issei causing these changes?

"Was this his wish? None of my family have ever had a human form before." The girl looked down at her hand, marveling at the fact that she had fingers rather than claws.

"I can still feel his energy _inside_ me. He must be more powerful than I thought." The emphasis on the word and its bitter tone had the pieces falling into place quickly.

Sona felt sick to her stomach, for letting the girl in front of her think for even a single second, that Issei might have assaulted her.

He would never do that, not even if his sanity left him completely.

Aurora seemed to be under the assumption that Issei had been the one to force her change in appearance, rather than doing it herself and nearly dying in the process.

"Aurora, would you mind if we talked privately? I would very much like to ease the suspicions I believe you have about the events prior to your arrival here."

It needed to be a private conversation. She could not be trying to denounce a rape allegation where others could hear her. It would paint the wrong kind of picture. Once a claim of that type was made, the perception people had of you was already set. Sona could not afford to be thought of as a person who would try to protect a rapist. Perception was reality, and first impressions were monumental in how someone would perceive you from that moment forward.

Aurora raised her head and looked at Sona curiously, then turning and catching a glimpse of the ones that had been trying to poke her with needles when she woke up.

At the very least, she wanted some space from the people cowering behind a wall. The devil girl in front of her seemed cordial enough, that she wouldn't have to worry about anything underhanded.

After a nod in agreement, Sona lead the girl a short distance to what Aurora thought looked like a mix of a kitchen and living room. It was the break room for the staff of this section.

The sink had a microwave placed beside it, a fridge on the far side, then there was the couch, coffee table, and tv. Throw in a bed and bathroom and this place could have been used as someone's apartment.

Aurora walked in nervously, stopping at the dining table and placing her hands on the back of the chair. She didn't want to sit. The people poking her had said that she'd been here for almost 2 weeks already, she'd been off her feet long enough.

The door clicked as Sona closed it, waving her hand and soundproofing the room quickly.

As soon as that was done, Sona turned towards her with a less stoic look. Her eyes conveyed a warmth that she showed to very few. Even her peerage had gotten so accustomed to the cold and analytical front she used, that the times it was pulled away they all seemed flabbergasted. Except for Issei.

He always seemed to be able to see through it. She blamed the number of evil pieces used to reincarnate him for that.

"You have nothing to fear from me. I am only making sure that we can speak without being overheard, because the identity of the person we need to talk about, _has_ to remain hidden for now. Can you promise me that Aurora?"

The dragon snapped her head over, taken by surprise. A pact? She'd never been able to make one before, thanks to always being sick and nearly immobile for a lot of her life. A few minutes of flying had always tired her out to the point of sleeping the rest of the day if she didn't eat twice the normal amount beforehand.

Aurora nodded her head before giving it any real thought. It might only be verbal, but it was still the first she'd ever had. This was an exciting event for her, even if it was over a topic that she had first made drastic assumptions about.

"Good." Sona blew out a sigh. Things had been dicey enough over the course of the last few months, she didn't need it falling back when things were finally getting back on track.

Sitting in the chair at the dining table across from Aurora, Sona crossed one leg over the other and placed her hands in her lap.

"First let me say this: from the time that you were found unconscious until right now, nothing untoward has been done to you. Not by me, not by Tiamat, not by my servant, Issei, who found you."

Aurora tilted her head. That didn't make sense to her unless the devil thought that…No. Even devils had standards, Tannin had made that clear during some of his visits. She couldn't let herself believe that devils condoned sexual acts with one party unconscious.

So then…What _had_ happened?

"Issei called me, saying that he found a little girl that was sick, and he didn't know what to do. When I got there, he and Tiamat were arguing." Aurora was even more confused. Little girl? She stood taller than Sona, and the man, Issei, was not extraordinarily tall.

"Tiamat explained that you must have been prone to the illness that affected you, and when you somehow managed to achieve this transformation… It left you weak to the point that you would likely die in a few days' time."

A proud smile came over Sona, small as it was, as Aurora was left reeling from being told that she'd transformed of her own accord.

"This is the part that has to stay between us. Issei was just a normal human when I met him. He is the host of the Red Dragon Emperor. When I reincarnated him, he accidentally triggered a technique of the boosted gear. His soul is that of a devil, but his body is becoming replaced with Ddraig's more and more by the day."

Aurora almost fell from where she stood, her hands slipping off the chair's back. _The_ _Red Dragon Emperor_ was the one she found?! Even if Sona was lying and he had taken advantage of her, Aurora's family would be more likely to praise her than anything. They worshipped him like a god for reasons she never understood. Tannin had also mentioned to her once, that the wind dragons were the only ones to follow the old tradition of finding a mate as a whole. There were a few from each subsection of dragons that did too, but they were not really welcome around most others. Isolating themselves had done the wind dragons no favors. The world had changed, and they needed to change with it.

She was starting to feel dizzy, hopefully from all of the reveals and not because her health was slipping back to its normal level. Being able to whip through the halls without wheezing and coughing after had been nice.

"Issei felt responsible for your condition and achieved his balance breaker. He used Ddraig's transfer ability to give you the strength that you needed. Neither I or Tiamat saw him do anything other than try to help you. The only times he touched you, were for that purpose, and it was never anything more than what was necessary to lend you his power."

Finished with her explanation, Sona waited for Aurora to compose herself.

The dragons strange human tongue felt heavy in her mouth like it was weighed down and unable to produce the words she wanted to say.

"S-so…He never…" She couldn't even bring herself to ask. Aurora felt ashamed of having come to think that the young man she'd wanted to approach would do something like that. She'd watched, gathering up the courage and strength to make herself known to him, as he trained and conversed. Perhaps it was because of the things she'd heard back when she was still up on the mountain.

Through the days that she'd watched him, the only violent tendencies he'd shown were when he trained with the chaos karma dragon. She had watched from afar, as he and Sona played their board game and talked, never being able to see the devil woman's face.

She had liked how calm he seemed, even if his expression had drooped every now and then. He didn't have that arrogant and pompous air that she saw in those like her. She had been too sick for most of her senses to work properly, his words lost in the wind before reaching where she had perched herself. Sight was the only one left unaffected.

He had smiled so kindly, that it made her want to ask for his help more than she could recall wanting anything else.

"No, Issei would never." Verbalizing the act they were talking about was something neither of them wanted to do.

Aurora walked around the chair, falling into it almost lifelessly. The tension in her body eased like a massive weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

'Then I'm not pregnant.'

Upon waking up and feeling the energy of another swirling inside of her, Aurora had assumed the worst. When she heard that she'd been there for 2 _weeks_ , that had quickly turned to preparing for what would happen over the next several months. Her emotions had spiraled out of control at that point. She was not healthy enough, or of an age where she was capable of caring for a child. She was hardly old enough to not be called one herself.

Wind dragons did not mate for _love_ , but for survival. They still adhered to the barbaric ways of the past, the strongest picked who would bear his child. A female's opinion was hardly considered.

"While you still need to properly nourish your body, the doctors cleared you to be discharged once you woke up."

Aurora let all of her senses focus on Sona. The devil was seemingly honest with everything she said. There was no hitch in her voice, no stutter to say she might be nervous or lying. Her eyes were steady, not wavering in the slightest.

The devil smelled as though she and the red dragon emperor had been sharing a rather intimate moment before coming here. His scent clung to her body, the same way the scent of fire clung to anything near it. Potent, powerful and hard to get out.

"You can leave whenever you like, and I'll have some clothes brought to you if you'd rather stay in human form." Aurora had nearly forgotten that part. Humans, or those that looked like humans, all wore clothing. Something that dragons typically didn't do.

"Or, you can come with me. Issei asked me to give him any updates on your condition. I'm sure he'd like to see you awake and healthy."

She certainly wasn't going back home. Not until she could no longer feel his energy with her own. Even then it might be a bad idea. Aurora also had no idea if she was able to change back into her true form.

That left only one viable option. The same nervous feeling from when she'd been trying to approach Issei came back. She should go with the devil, and at the very least thank the man that had seen her taken care of.

 **-LineBreak-**

It seemed like Tiamat just loved to prove him wrong. Every time he thought the training couldn't get any harder, she brought it to a new level shortly after.

His fists ached, lungs heaving for air through the small vent in his helmet.

Using balance breaker this intensely and frequently was incredibly draining. They'd already been forced to take a break because he had tripped on air and faceplanted. Tiamat was going to use that against him until the day Issei died, he could already tell.

"You're progressing well hatchling." The blue haired woman spoke from above him, offering a hand to bring himself from the ground.

Issei took it slowly, willing the armor away, even though it was already in pieces. The back and shoulders had fallen away from a few blows that he hadn't been able to dodge.

"If you put every ounce of strength you have into one attack, I think you'd be just about as strong as Tannin."

Her hand left his, and Issei had to keep himself from falling over again.

"I know I'm young and all, but it really feels like you're just calling me hatchling to fuck with me."

Coming to his full height, Issei only now registered the second half of what she'd said.

"Wait what?"

Was he seriously already that strong? It didn't feel like when he was constantly getting smacked around.

"You heard me. He would obviously be able to defeat you since you'd be left vulnerable when he recovered." Tiamat shrugged.

She loathed to admit it, but training Issei had started to become less of a hassle as time went on. There was no denying that this was the strangest of Ddraig's hosts she had encountered, a similar train of thought to when she met Elsha.

Ddraig was the dragon of domination, yet all Issei wanted to do was protect. Ddraig firmly believed that if force didn't solve an issue, then he just needed to use more force. Or at least that's how he had been while alive.

The dragon had changed in the centuries of imprisonment. His pride was still intact, unfortunately, so she refused to speak to him more than a few words per day, but the way he approached things seemed diluted.

The loud and boisterous monologues that plagued the older supernatural beings were replaced with words that were at least partially thought out.

Tiamat suspected that the devil girl was the one responsible for the way that Issei chose his moves quickly yet efficiently. He didn't barrel onwards to clash fists or fight fire with fire. The young man was quite obviously attracted to anything with breasts, yet other than a glance he hid it well.

She would have to pay attention to the newer generation of devils, in case there were more like Sona Sitri. Tiamat wouldn't go seeking them out, but rumors and word of events still reached her here in the forest.

"I hope it'll be enough when the time comes." Issei said quietly, clenching and unclenching his hands to try and ease the trembling ache.

Sitting on one of the only boulders in the area to have survived, Tiamat gave her student a questioning look.

"I've been wondering about the reason you're master desired your strength. She doesn't appear to be the type to be overly concerned about proving herself the strongest."

There was no question spoken by the dragon king, but Issei understood the one left unspoken.

What did Sona Sitri need the Red Dragon Emperor for?

Sliding down to sit at the base of a tree across from Tiamat, Issei gave her a tired smile.

"She's more of a strategist than anything. As for the reason…" Issei rubbed at the back of his head. He didn't know if he should really be handing out his kinds plan to people. But this wasn't just anyone, and Issei really wanted to stay on Tiamat's good side.

"Her friend, Rias Gremory is engaged to another pure-blood devil. Neither her or Rias are particularly fond of arranged marriages, to begin with, and apparently, the guy is a real piece of work. So, I'm going to help Rias in a rating game to free herself."

Tiamat could recall hearing something about that several years ago. The practice was abhorrent to her. To dictate the lives of your children because of some rumored blood purity? She was admittedly biased against it. Dragons did not 'marry' per se, but she had been a big reason that the old ways of finding mates had declined. All she really had to do was leave a few too many male dragons near death after they had tried to stake a claim on her. Throw in a few easily overheard comments about how things _should_ be done and wait a century or two, and here they were.

Tannin was lucky that the mother of his first born had actually been looking forward to his challenge.

"And then you intend to take her as _your_ mate?" There was always the chance that some of Ddraig's bad habits and demeanor had infected Issei. She felt the need to bait him a little more.

"What?! Absolutely not." A good response, with no time wasted on thinking of an answer.

"Oh? Why is that? Is she not attractive?" But it was always best to be thorough.

"She's _gorgeous_. Easily top 5 hottest women I've ever seen." Tiamat hid her smirk expertly. There was a bit of Ddraig in the boy, but it manifested in a way that wasn't truly a problem. Not yet anyway.

"Then why do you not seem to want her for yourself? And who else is on this _list_ of yours?"

Ddraig had only gotten away with running his mouth without a care in the world because there had only been a handful of beings stronger than him. Getting the best results out of his training meant that Issei had to draw on every little drop of dragon DNA coursing through his body.

To her surprise, Issei didn't go ahead and spout off names of women. Instead, he gave her a flat look that tried to hide the embarrassment he felt from being so blunt. She let the smirk show just a fraction when she realized that he knew what she was doing, and then he turned to look in the distance.

In the opposite direction, Tiamat felt the sign of a devil's magic. A transport circle that would soon shine on the ground. Issei had yet to develop the ability to feel the early signs of magic, something that she couldn't really help him with. That would come in time.

"I'd hardly be better than the ones forcing her into the current marriage if I did that."

The magic used on the circle intensified, the portal between two locations starting to open up.

"Before, I thought that forcing marriage on someone was wrong just because of the lack of consent. But now… knowing what it feels like to have someone you love, I couldn't fathom how horrible it would be to get married to someone you might _never_ feel that towards."

The circle shined to life, getting Issei to turn towards it. His detection was adequate for now and could ready himself before an enemy could appear.

As he relaxed when he saw the blue circle so familiar to him, Tiamat kept looking at the expression on his face.

She was intrigued. Not by him specifically, but what he'd said.

As the blue light died, Tiamat wondered just what he could be thinking but wouldn't say. Or perhaps it was more that he felt that he _couldn't_ say it for some reason. All it took for her to understand was a gentle shift in his expression. His head perked up, a subtle upward curve at the edge of his lips, and the way his eyes and brows had gently narrowed.

One of the things that Tiamat noticed about Issei that made him different from Ddraig and the rest of the hosts, Elsha included, was this almost imperceptible inferiority complex he had. It wasn't anything drastic, but she had noticed it while trying to bring him over that threshold into balance breaker.

The way he unlocked it only helped to solidify it for her.

Tiamat knew that was a look of unrequited love if she'd ever seen it. An expression one had when there was too much distance between them and the one they longed for. She had learned enough about Issei to know what the problem here was.

He felt that he wasn't good enough. That Sona was too far above him to even be considered an option. She suspected that he felt this way about a multitude of things actually. The responsibility given to him as the Red Dragon Emperor to _not_ go crazy and murder people in a haze of fury for one. From the way he'd briefly talked about them, the girls that he was already involved with too.

Issei held a fear that he would mess something up and lose them for good, whether it be the girls breaking up with him, or they die.

Tiamat followed his line of sight, watching as Sona gave him a tiny smile, tucking some hair behind one ear and ever so slightly pulling her shoulders back.

'Fucking teenagers.'

Whatever reason Sona had for playing hard to get, Tiamat didn't care as long as it didn't interfere with Issei training and being able to hold up his end of the bargain.

The gestures and posturing made it clear to the dragon king that Sona was interested. If that were the case, then they should stop with all this roundabout stuff and just do it already!

She took a breath to calm down. High-class devils were different from dragons. Position and appearance were important to them. It was likely that Sona was waiting for something.

Both Issei and Tiamat watched as a figure stepped from behind Sona.

"Well Well, look who's back…" Tiamat said, picking up on the identity quickly.

She'd rather focus on the dragon that had been stalking her student than wondering when the master and servant would get over themselves and fuck.

 **-LineBreak-**

Koji Hyoudou was incredibly grateful for the warning that his coworker had given him.

Tonight was meeting #3 within a week. The first time, he had actually been able to catch a glimpse of the man supposedly in charge of everything.

A tall slender man with gold bangs and a goatee. He had stopped by to talk with one of the other men from his company, once a few words were exchanged he was on his way.

The other guys were a little strange to him, but not overly so.

One blonde, one dark-haired, one redhead. They were all middle-aged, early to mid 50's he'd guess. The blonde guy had a thing for short women, the other two were into the girls that looked like their face never changed from an angry scowl.

If his coworker hadn't mentioned that these meetings would end up being so late into the evening, and so frequent this week, his wife would have flipped.

She was already pissed enough thanks to his little detour on the internet.

Seriously though, how could he not stop and stare?

The high school girl had a rack that bounced like none he'd ever seen and _those legs_! He would never cheat on Honoka, that wasn't the type of man he was. But looking and appreciating God's creations was doing no harm.

Right?

Even in his own mind, Koji had to admit that was some flimsy, hole-ridden logic. Looking at a woman you pass by on the street for a second or two was a much different story than staying on a porn site because of a smoking hot girl that happened to be wearing his son's school uniform.

He would just have to keep himself in check from now on.

"C'mon Hyoudou! You drinkin' or what?" The blonde one, a Brit by the name of Sully, nearly spilled his beer as he gestured for Koji to join them.

"Sully if you don't slow the fuck down, I'm leaving you to pay the tab _and_ walk back to the hotel." So said the tall dark haired one by the name of Alden.

The redhead, who only went by Jimmy rather than giving his full name, stayed silent at the other end of the table.

Tonight was different. Koji could feel it in the air of the "restaurant" vividly. It was apparent that something was wrong, but he didn't know if it was business related or personal. The Redhead had at least been a part of the group the last 2 meetings, but now was silent and not socializing. That didn't bode well for expecting future business with Scapegoat Inc. A business specializing in custom-made costumes and cosplay.

"Ah fuck off Alden. My part of this is already done, so what's the harm?" Sully was adamant that it was perfectly fine if he got himself good and drunk.

Koji came and took a seat at the table, wondering if he'd find out where the problem was.

"The fact that you seem to have forgotten the next arrival, is troubling. Remember the time you got drunk and puked all over him?"

Sully went white as a ghost.

Koji didn't know they were expecting another person and said as much.

"I didn't realize there was another from your company coming tonight." He said lightly, taking a sip from a much smaller beer than Sully had ordered.

Sully swallowed heavily, setting his drink down and waving down the waitress, a pretty young thing that seemed to like the attention the older guys gave her. That was probably all an act though. A ploy to get better tips.

"He works for the CEO. The guy with the blonde bangs has a bunch of side projects, always moving, always working. Anyway, this other guy pretty much does the same thing as you, acquisition stuff. He's not here for anything relating to us though. The boss said he's just joining to help build relations between his companies while he's here on a different job."

Alden gave the waitress his own order, adding his own thoughts about the expectant arrival as the woman moved around the table to get back to the bar.

"Sully gets nervous any time we meet up with him now. Kowalski hasn't been a fan of his since that night and makes it blatantly obvious that he's not the forgive and forget type about being covered in beer battered onion ring vomit. Other than that, he's a nice enough guy."

A few minutes of small talk followed, with Sully being handed a tall glass of water to occupy himself with rather than continuing to get inebriated. None of the men gathered had any issues with him drinking, they just didn't want things to turn…messy, so some self-control was required.

The door to the establishment came open with a creek, with Koji facing that direction and able to see who was walking in.

An absurdly tall man came through, his dark grey blazer billowing from a source of wind whose origins none could pinpoint. With dark brown hair and light blue eyes, the man took in the sight of the place, ignoring how most of the women unattached were giving him appraising looks.

When that gaze snapped to Koji suddenly, something about the brief look of irritation in the man's eyes made him uneasy. It was gone just as quickly, replaced by a somewhat amicable smile, leading Koji to believe that he'd just read the man wrong.

 **-LineBreak-**

For once, Issei was having a hard time falling asleep.

The training hadn't suddenly become easier on him, and it wasn't as though he wasn't tired. He was _exhausted_. But he couldn't help the way his mind was running.

It was almost time to go home, something he was very much looking forward to.

'Is it weird that I'm still not used to sleeping naked with her?' He asked, more for Elsha than Ddraig. The red dragon had never really worn clothes in the first place so he wouldn't understand.

" _To be frank, I'm surprised you've taken it this well, with the way you feel about her. But I suppose with you falling asleep the moment your head hits the pillow, you've had little time to actually absorb the situation as it happens."_

Ddraig seemed to realize that the question wasn't directed towards him and stayed out of it. He did feel the urge to say that a dragon should never feel ashamed of their body. They were physical representations of power, the perfect predator. Being afraid of intimacy or showing yourself to another was of no consequence.

Issei didn't even bother with a denial. Elsha was in his head, seeing what he saw and hearing his thoughts. Denying that he felt something for the young woman fast asleep beside him was useless.

Sona had caught his attention the moment he saw her. At first, it was more of a fascination than attraction, or so he thought until that dream shortly after. He'd watched a few series that catered to the BDSM base, but it was never really his thing. There were just some _extremely_ attractive women in the series that his friends had said were out of this world. How was he supposed to _not_ watch it after that?

Either way, the dream of her handcuffing him to the bed and covering specific parts of him with whip cream had been unexpected. Even now that particular dream stood out from his other fantasies.

When he joined her peerage, Issei better understood that his attraction to her was not unwarranted.

She cared for her peerage deeply but felt that she just wasn't allowed to show that to them in any setting that could be deemed public.

This training had certainly helped him to get a better look at what made Sona tick. When they were playing chess and talking, Sona was less reserved. She smiled more than he'd ever seen back up at school.

'I hope this feeling goes away.' He admitted.

It was starting to get really hard to stay on topic sometimes.

Issei had no illusions about the fact that Sona would someday marry another pure-blood devil. If he couldn't claw his way out of this pit, then he wasn't sure how he'd handle that.

Elsha kept quiet. She knew the truth of the situation regarding Sona, but it wasn't her place to say something. The NorseFire Dragon could only come up with one reason that Sona had failed to mention the agreement with Rias. And that was to keep Issei's mind on his training for now. She didn't disagree with that choice.

He had needed to train rigorously if he was going to match up to a being that healed almost as quickly as they were damaged.

But now… Perhaps things were different. Aside from astral projection, Issei had one other thing up his sleeve that could even the playing field.

Issei looked down to see the one his thoughts had been so heavily focused on.

When Sona slept, there was this small content smile on her face. Like everything was right in the world. It made his predicament worse since she was naked and cuddling up to his side.

She was small and slender, but not in a way that took away any of her curves of charm. With his growing strength, she was light as a feather to him, even the times that he'd apparently pulled her onto his chest.

He could still remember feeling her in that position, wishing he had the courage to do that when he wasn't unconscious. Her body was cool against the always heated skin he had now, and it was incredibly soothing. She wasn't busty like Tsubaki or Rias thankfully, he didn't want to know how bad the urges would have been to ignore if she was.

At a glance, she wasn't the kind of girl Issei would have thought he'd be attracted to in middle school. She came off as cold and uncaring, and as form-fitting as the uniforms were, Sona's body was better than he'd had any reason to think.

Maybe it was from the flare of the corset and skirt. Sona did not have particularly wide hips for her size, but her thin waist was perfectly proportioned with it.

Her skin was smooth, something he was currently feeling quite well as she slid her leg up against his, curling herself into him just a little bit more. Her leg stopped before it went too high. Her arms tightened around his chest, getting him to feel her breasts against his arm.

He could tell just by the feel, that they were the perfect size to fit in hand if he were to grab them.

Issei shook his head, wanting to get his mind away from the urge to do anything that might set back the progress they've made over these last weeks.

He drifted off to thinking of his new… friend.

Aurora, or Rory as he'd decided to call her.

Issei really wasn't sure how to describe that relationship.

He'd been surprised that Tiamat had taken a liking to her after hearing how she thought of the wind dragons. Apparently, Tiamat thought that if the others saw Aurora thrive among other dragons, more might reconsider the way that they've lived their lives.

It was definitely hard to hear how the female dragons of that type were treated as little more than second class citizens. Many places in the world were male-dominated, but the wind dragons were stuck in a mindset that a woman didn't have much of a place other than home or procuring food.

For the first few days, Rory had only really spoken a few words. She was nervous around him for some reason, but also hardly ever seemed to leave his line of sight. He suspected that it had something to do with how Ddraig was viewed by her kind. But he was not Ddraig, Issei was merely lucky enough to have him attached to his soul.

When Tiamat offered to let the girl stay here with her, Issei could see that she was trying to desperately hold back tears. He felt bad that he hadn't realized that she was worrying so much over where she would go.

Rory was slowly filling out, that emaciated look fading from the mounds of food that Sona would bring with her each night. It was crazy to see the physical changes happening so quickly. Where she'd once looked like she might just keel over, now she just looked like an incredibly thin young woman that was around his age.

Issei had been told how dragons shrunk if they used too much power, and that was why she'd looked like a little girl when he found her. That transformation had taken almost everything Rory had. Another thing he felt bad about.

He hadn't meant to make her feel like she couldn't approach him as she was. She still had no idea if she'd be able to ever change into her true form again. Wind dragons had never done that before. Maybe if he boosted enough and then transferred it to her, she'd be able to regain her dragon appearance.

Although she did seem to be enjoying the human body well enough. When Issei left the tent yesterday, he'd been met with the sight of her squeezing at her chest, which had grown significantly overnight.

It was probably a bad comparison, but if Tiamat was anything to go by, Rory's breasts would keep growing as she ate enough to feed a dozen people. Daily. She was already about the size of Reya and would likely surpass Momo pretty soon.

Outside of the free show she was giving him, Issei couldn't help but laugh at the bewildered look on her face. She also hadn't understood the reason for him turning around when she noticed he was there until Tiamat and Sona came out to explain that human women didn't typically walk around topless.

" _Men find breasts attractive do they not? It would seem a good way to attract a mate."_

Issei had no rebuttal to that, but Tiamat did. She went off on a heated rant about how men from all races were mostly driven by their dicks and gave little thought to how the woman might feel about being pursued relentlessly just because of her image.

He made a note to make sure he kept his eyes above the collar whenever speaking to her.

Issei and Rory spoke frequently during the breaks of his training, and during the time he was waiting for Sona. They got along well from his perspective, but there just seemed to be something on her mind that had yet to come up. It started after Sona talked to her the day after she appeared.

She would initiate a conversation, and it always sounded like she had something she wanted to ask him. But it was changed at the last second into something that was little more than small talk.

He didn't have anything against making small talk with her, but he was getting more and more curious about what she wanted to ask him.

She had almost gone through with whatever it was too, when they were talking about the girls back home. Rory seemed to be having an internal battle of epic proportions. Her brows and lips had contorted into some strange expressions before she finally decided to just ask him what his favorite food was.

His thoughts over the she-dragon were pulled away by Sona's hand gliding gently over his chest.

This girl… He doubted that she had any clue what she was doing to him, but this was starting to become torture.

Her slender fingers were drawing circles on his chest in her sleep, and the feeling was something that he loved. It felt intimate, loving even. Like there was no other goal but to just _touch_ him because she wanted to.

Sona was still in a deep sleep, yet her hand was slowly moving south. The light touch came down to his stomach, the feeling making him twitch. It felt weird, but not in any unpleasant sort of way.

His eyes widened as her hand kept moving down, now resting on his hip. The way her fingers danced over his skin and the sight of her smile had blood being redirected.

Issei didn't know what to say, think or do when her ring and middle finger glanced across his shaft. Was Sona having some sort of fantasy of her own? Who was it about? What were they doing?

"Mm… Hot." She mumbled. The way she said it made Issei think that she wasn't referring to temperature. It was slurred in a way that he thought she was in no way _against_ whatever was on her mind.

Her hand fell further down, her index finger tracing up from his thigh to his balls, and up along his length.

She was touching him!

Just as soon as it started, it was over.

Sona's eyes flew open as a magical warning started ringing in her head, the hand that had been touching the genitalia of her pawn now firmly planted on his thigh to push herself up.

"The wards!" She said in alarm.

The daydream look left Issei not even 3 seconds after the words escaped her. There was only one thing his king could have meant by that.

Violet eyes quickly turned over to him, finding Issei awake and looking at her with a worried frown.

"We have to go. Now."

Shuffling was heard from outside the tent from two people. Sona's loud exclamation had alerted both Tiamat and Aurora and they were coming to see what the problem was.

 **-LineBreak-**

"We're Home!" Yui called out as they crossed the threshold and into the house.

The last of the competitions had ended a few hours ago, but the success of their seniors had prompted a celebration. Laughing, congratulating, and many conversations had filled the kendo club room after returning.

Kaori and Yui had been speaking with the current captain about the future of their club, and who should succeed her.

It was between the two of them. The girls weren't too concerned about who would be chosen, because the other would be named co-captain. They would be sharing a responsibility for the club they had come to love. Theirs to lead and guide in the coming years.

"Welcome back girls! How did it go?" Mrs. Hyoudou was seated on the couch, watching some sort of tv drama with a glass of wine in hand.

The duo could see the tension that the mother felt with her son being gone so long. They had to wonder if that dragon tamer thing wasn't somehow a two-way street. She missed her son, and the meetings her husband had this week weren't helping matters.

Mrs. Hyoudou was feeling like she had nothing to do, no one to look after. The three girls had all enjoyed the day shopping a while ago when they were out getting a new bed for Issei. Yui and Kaori had felt mildly embarrassed at being seen through, as even Mr. Hyoudou had picked up on the fact that the girls had been sleeping in Issei's room.

Nothing was ever mentioned about it, so that embarrassment had died down.

"Isuka took first place! We had a little party at the club to celebrate." Kaori smiled.

Looking around, specifically into the kitchen, it was obvious that dinner had yet to even be started. It was almost 9:30 at night.

Looking at the mother again, they saw that her cheeks were a little flushed. Had she been waiting for them to even fix herself something to eat? If that were the case, and that glass of wine wasn't the first, there was a chance that redness was from feeling a little tipsy.

"Are you the only one home?" Kaori added.

Having stood and started to walk over, Mrs. Hyoudou gathered the two girls in a hug.

"I'm so glad you're home." She pulled back and pouted, something neither had seen the woman do.

"Koji's meeting is running late. He said some other man from that company met up with them and were still ordering drinks an hour ago. Hopefully, he'll be home soon."

Neither of the girls were too well versed in any sort of business climate, but it seemed odd enough that the meeting was supposed to happen after regular work hours.

"Are you girls hungry? I wanted to wait for you so at least some of us could eat together." And that answered the question of whether the mother had anything in her stomach to help absorb the alcohol.

"That would be great. Is there anything I could help with?" Kaori was hoping to take over any tasks that might require a sharp object. Mrs. Hyoudou didn't look like she was too intoxicated, but better safe than sorry.

 **-LineBreak-**

Outside of the home and in the darkness created from the tree cover, the beast lurked.

It was time.

They would start here, with the ones that his other sides knew to be the friends of his devil summon. What better way to show the world the truth, then to use those close to a being of false darkness.

The one with pink hair was not as far from purity as first thought. They could tell. The way she looked around, the way she walked along the edges of the dark corners, it spoke of a transition. She was close and would be his first.

The one with brown hair would be a true test. She had known no true suffering.

The older one, the mother, it would be near impossible for her to transcend. Unless… her son, the being of false darkness was torn from her grip. Perhaps they should…

'What's this?'

The beast had the light, he was in control of their body. He was the one who determined who was worthy of the test. The first waves would be altered as needed, finding the best ways to bring out the true beings sleeping inside the dregs that walked the streets.

Two men walked along the sparsely lit sidewalk, one stumbling and the other sober. The drunk one was likely the devil summons father, their looks too similar to write off as anything else, and they were turning towards the same home.

It was the other man, the one walking straight and tall and smelled of the truth, that he was interested in.

That smell, the beast knew it. The scent of the pure poured from his body in waves. The man knew them, he could bring them.

The beast's lips curled into a smile that spoke of blood and pain.

The tall man was not pure himself, but the beast could fix that. The world would hear the whispers of truth quickly turn to the loud beckoning for change.

And it would all start here…

The beast stepped into the light, skin flushed red and in some parts a near purple. The veins popping through his skin only showed that he wielded the power.

The town of Kuoh would be the first of many. When he had created more like him, the cities would be next.

 **-LineBreak-**

Yui sat at the kitchen table, watching Kaori and Mrs. Hyoudou going about their business happily. She could cook a little, but nowhere near the level of those two, so she sat herself down and waited with a few notes of how to progress her kendo skills.

She'd gone over them enough times already, that she didn't even need to look down to know what it read. It had gotten to a point that her recitation of it was going on in the background of her thoughts.

She missed Ise. That was what was truly going on in her mind. He was coming back tomorrow, and she could hardly wait.

It was strange how you could get so attached to someone so quickly. Yui could no longer see her life without him, and the longer he stayed away, the more she wanted to just feel him beside her as they slept.

Kaori was a good enough cuddle buddy, but there were just some things that couldn't compare.

The way Issei always kept her warm, the light musk he always had. Issei didn't smell bad, but there was just this smell of something she couldn't put her finger on, and it was something she'd learned to love.

The way he held onto her as they slept, his arms holding her against him securely. To her surprise, she'd even started to enjoy the way she could feel him poking in between her thighs in the early morning if she happened to wake up.

The thought of what Reya had done still made her angry. Not because of the act in itself, but because she still felt so far away from similar intimate acts herself. But… Maybe that just in her head, like how she'd felt before Issei had literally been on top of her that night.

Maybe if she just took the initiative, she'd find herself okay with it. Issei would probably have to start things off though, and she knew that he'd be too worried about upsetting her to do that.

 **BANG!**

All three women jumped as the loud sound of something colliding against the door echoed throughout the quiet home.

A groan could be barely heard shortly after, getting Mrs. Hyoudou to huff.

"I'll get it. Koji must have had more to drink than he should have."

Kaori looked down at her hand, clenching her other hand over it tightly, and biting down on her lower lip.

Yui looked down and saw a little streak of red, immediately getting up and grabbing a clean towel.

Kaori had cut herself when the noise scared her.

The door opening could be heard as Yui tried to put pressure on the cut on her friend's palm, without Kaori yelling out.

The look Yui received from Kaori let her know that she was thankful before she moved to the living room to see what the hell had made that sound.

The door had been open for several seconds, and yet Mrs. Hyoudou hadn't made a sound.

When Yui looked out, her blood froze. She understood.

Being hoisted from the ground was Mr. Hyoudou, clearing beyond drunk. Behind him stood a tall and sophisticated looking man wearing nice clothes.

But that wasn't what had both Yui and Mrs. Hyoudou frozen in fear.

Just barely visible, half shadowed and half in the illumination of the street light, was another man.

He was about Mr. Hyoudou's height, but he looked like he was built of pure lean muscle.

His chest heaved, muscles rippling under the skin with each breath he took. The respirations almost looked painful, like his strength was a hindrance to the rest of his body. His skin, from what was visible in the light, was a deep red, purple and certain points along his shirtless torso.

But it was the way he looked at them, that had each woman frozen in place.

His eyes did not seem to be those of a rational person. It was like he was a creature born out of a nightmare, only there to terrorize them until they finally took their last labored and frightened breath. His lips curled into a smirk that said he knew that he was about to do something unimaginable. Something no normal ever even contemplate.

"Get inside." Mrs. Hyoudou spoke quietly. "Both of you." Her eyes never leaving that shadowed harbinger.

They had no reason to feel so scared, other than from the look of him. But for some reason, he sent both women into a panic.

Yui acted before either man could move, rushing passed Mrs. Hyoudou and dragging them inside before slamming the door shut.

She let out a breath of relief from not being able to see that _thing_ anymore.

Her and Kaori knew that there were things in this world that did not line up with what most people knew. If seeing that man prompted something so primal, she had little doubt that it was something only Issei could deal with.

And he wasn't here.

Neither bothered to notice the way that the man's eyes had narrowed once he set foot inside.

They didn't even question who he was or why he was here.

All that mattered was that they get away from the one still outside.

"Hhhhoney, wus wif da rough treamen'." The father of the house spoke up from the ground, unable to stand on his own.

The man was plastered.

"Hush Koji." Mrs. Hyoudou gently. Her husband obviously hadn't seen the _thing_ behind him.

"I apologize for the treatment. But may I ask who you are?" the woman had to look up to meet the new arrivals eyes.

 **-LineBreak-**

Issei was just about finished throwing on the rest of his clothes. Sona had just used magic to dress, something he would have to learn at a later date.

Aurora and Tiamat had come bursting into the tent, wondering what was going on.

"The wards on my house went off. Something is there with my family."

The ground outside of the tent started to shine with a blue crest just as Issei felt something pulling his attention away.

Sona and Tiamat turned to it, and the heiress widened her eyes and started preparing multiple communication circles.

"The flyers I gave the girls..." Issei stared at the shining blue with a sense of dread.

Something was beyond wrong. Not only was there something in his house that set of the alarms Sona had prepared for him, but now the girls were actively telling him that they were in danger.

"Go. I'll gather the rest and meet you there."

Issei nodded and made his way to the shining blue circle quickly.

When Aurora stepped inside of it with him, he raised a brow.

"I'm going to help." Was her simple answer.

Issei was about to start saying that she wouldn't be able to move through the circle with him, but Sona was already one step ahead.

A second circle flared beside his.

"Use that one Aurora. This one will only take Issei."

As she stepped over Issei decided that if she were coming with him, she would have a specific job to do.

"Get the girls in the house upstairs. Don't let anyone into the room you pick besides me."

Aurora accepted, knowing that this was not the time to debate over whether she was physically capable to help him stop the threat to his den.

"Good luck hatchling." Tiamat said as the light burned brightly, carrying the two of them away.

Not even the dragon king was treating the situation lightly. If there was anything about Issei that stood out to her, other than the fact that he had a breast fetish, it was his drive to protect his family.

It didn't matter if it was the girls that had taken spots as his mates or his blood relatives, to threaten their safety was to draw the wrath of the current red dragon emperor.

She only hoped that he got there soon enough to avoid a scene that would drown the young man in emotions so heavy that he gave in to the curse of the juggernaut drive.

 **-LineBreak-**

Issei and Aurora came in a flash of blue, ending up right outside of his house.

"Fuck…"

The door of his home was bashed in, barely hanging onto the top hinge. The wood was splintered in the center, almost like a punch was what had done it. The door's frame was hanging and splintered inward.

"ISE!" A scream pierced through the silence, and the one called felt another pull of magic on him.

"Let's go." His face reflected only the determination to stay true to his promise, but it was a very different story of the storm beneath the surface.

Looking at the front of his home, being summoned by the girls when those flyers were only supposed to be used in an emergency. Issei was scared of what he was about to find as he rushed through the door and into the living room.

The reason for those flyers to only be used in an emergency situation? That was because it would mean revealing his non-human nature to anyone nearby, most importantly his parents. He wasn't really ready for them to know about him being a devil yet, but if it was a choice of their safety over making them aware, he'd deal with whatever fallout came of it.

Sure, Sona could wipe those particular memories from any bystanders, but he didn't like the idea of his parents being influenced with magic. Doing that was as good as lying to their face, something he hated doing.

The mess that was the front door was just a precursor for what he and Aurora found inside. The living room was a mess. The couch was torn with white stuffing still floating down to the ground, obviously the latest of the damage done. The Tv sparking with the puncture in the top right corner. Along the walls were deep gouges, some of the pictures had fallen to the ground and the glass breaking, others having been torn through.

The crash of something like thin metal came from the right, from the kitchen.

Taking large steps, Issei made his way in with Rory following closely behind, ready to help her friend's kin.

In the corner, huddled together and shaking in fright, was every member of the household. His mother was holding on to the two girls like they would disappear if her grip faltered for even a moment, his father was having a hard time keeping himself awake, his head dipping down and eyes sliding closed before snapping back open.

On the opposite side, was a tall man being held from behind by the head.

"Barry…?"

Holding onto the unknown battered and bloodied man, was the contractor that Issei regularly saw. Blood slowly leaked from the corner of his lip, his face in a snarl that showed the blood lightly coated his teeth.

There was something different about him. Barry, or whoever was in control at the moment, was always rather slim. Not skinny or scrawny, but they never had the muscle mass of definition that Issei was seeing right now.

"Ise, y-you _know_ this man…?" His mother's voice quivered. She wanted to question how her son had gotten here, moments after the girls had both yelled out his name. She never saw the flash of light coming from their pockets.

He was supposed to be off doing something for his job that he couldn't talk about.

"Are any of you hurt?" Issei ignored the question his mother asked, giving them a quick glance to see if there were any marks on them at all.

"We're fine." Yui answered, her posture still stiff and frightened but slightly more at ease with him here.

He came. Issei had kept his promise and responded when they needed him.

"Young d-devil…help." The battered man pleaded with wide eyes, stretching out a hand towards Issei.

The declaration had Yui and Kaori widening their eyes. This man knew what Issei was with just a glance. It did nothing for Issei, having suspected that something supernatural was going on from the start. He just didn't know the full scale of it.

"Barry… let the man go." He spoke with authority he didn't feel. That placement of hands on the man's head was easy to read.

He was about to snap the man's neck and kill him if Issei couldn't get him to stop. The _why_ part of this situation didn't matter right now. Not while lives were at stake.

The battered man had a strange scent to him though… A flower dipped in oil and lit on fire.

"Barry is gone… He is weak." The beast's words were growled through blood-spattered teeth.

"This one is a fake. He may associate with the true and pure, but he is a parasite to their presence."

The beast tightened his grip on the man.

"N-no! Please!" The man yelled, his scared tone getting Issei to move.

Issei pushed forward with all he had, hoping to jump over the kitchen table that was overturned and push Barry hard enough to get his grip to loosen.

Issei pushed hard when his left foot had contact with the ground, his body going horizontal as his right hand was stretched out to press against Barry's partially visible chest. The part just above the unknown man's head.

"He must die." The beast was too quick.

The hand on the chin pulled, the one on the back of the head pushed, the force of the clockwise motion creating a cracking and snapping sound just as Issei pushed Barry away and into the window.

The tall man fell back, the light in his eyes quickly fading to be dull and lifeless.

Issei fell to the ground as the window broke, shards of pointed glass falling onto the one that had _once_ been Barry and so many others, and the lower half stabbed into his back.

He was quick to stand, casting a sorrowful glance down and back to the man he hadn't been able to save.

Rory moved from her spot in the doorway to the left where she could stand guard in front of the humans. Her wings ripped forth from her back, tearing through the dark green shirt given to her. All except the inebriated father gasped from being given a shield of beige colored wings.

"W-what..?!" Mrs. Hyoudou's words died in her throat as she watched something impossible and inexplicable appear in front of her eyes.

"RRRRRRAAAAAAAGGGGHHHH!" The beast bellowed in anger and pain as he lifted himself from his spot, pieces of glass breaking off and remaining embedded in his back.

" _You_ … _You_ do not see. You are blinded." The beast growled.

Issei readied himself, already realizing that something had snapped inside the mind of what had been a docile man/woman the last time he saw him.

"Who are you? You're not the ones I've met before."

Patricia was weird and stern in her opinions, but overall, he didn't mind her. Jade was a mouthy teenager, Dennis was an OCD neat freak. Hedwig was just a little boy in a grown man's body that wanted to play video games and dance.

Whoever this was, it was none of the personalities that Issei had dealt with.

The beast slowly pulled a glass shard out of his tricep, beating his chest to will the pain away and sending droplets of blood to the floor.

"I am the beast that will avenge us from the impure. The one that will show the world the truth of our existence. The worthy will join us in uniting the world."

The beast stepped forward, the floor giving a light shake from the force.

"Rejoice. The man behind you may not be redeemable, but the women will be given a chance to ascend as we have. Or… they will all be a part of the sacrifice to announce to the people that the day of redemption has come."

Issei did not see the blue light forming in the side of his vision, the signal that Sona had brought the rest. All he saw was red. A red so deep that his vision darkened around the figure that inferred the death of at least one of his family. The beast was all that mattered at this moment.

The decision was not one that Issei made lightly, but for the sake of the ones he loved, it was the only choice he could see.

Barry… or whoever this was, could not be allowed to take another breath. Issei had seen the way that the personalities could shift at any given time. He doubted that there was a way to extract one of them from the body, not that he had the time or know-how.

Issei would have to kill… again.

He didn't hear the voices behind him or see the barrier placed around Rory and the others in the corner.

As quickly as his hands would allow, Issei drew one back and pulled forth the aura that he'd learned to use without summoning his boosted gear.

There was no call, no shout in anger. Issei punched the orb floating in front of his fist, launching it towards the beast in full view of his parents. It didn't expand in the way that it normally did, instead of staying in its spherical shape so as to not obliterate this portion of his home. His den.

The beast tried to pivot out of the way but had misjudged the speed it traveled and was struck in the chest. Sailing out of the window, clipping the glass and wood and tearing part of the wall out with him, the beast came to a bouncing and rolling stop across the street when his ribs met the post of a light.

Issei stalked forward, his eyes never leaving the smoking form of his opponent.

 **[Boost!]** The gauntlet came to cover his left arm, the green gem pulsing wildly and brightly from the near rabid emotions of the host.

Normally, Issei would have to wait to make his next move. But… A sacred gear responded to emotions, and his were screaming for the quick death of the beast.

 **[Welsh Dragon Balance Breaker!]** His armor shifted into place quicker than they ever had, eager to match the desire Issei had.

Only Sona and Rory were the ones not left gaping at the tall red armor that was standing in Issei's place, tail flailing and crashing against the floor in what everyone could see was a barely restrained rage.

Momo, Reya, and Sona moved to check the condition of the humans in the room. Rory was only given a minor glance from the bishops since Sona didn't seem alarmed by her presence. The rest of the peerage was all left flatfooted. Issei was radiating a red aura around his frame, fingers flipping off the main portion like flames. The dragon allowed them to pass by, stepping forward in order to accommodate more bodies behind her.

Tsubaki stepped over to the body on the floor.

"Did Issei do this?" She asked while quickly analyzing what she could, her eyes wanting to stay glued to the figure that had taken the place of the normally cheerful pawn. The queen felt it was hardly necessary, but she materialized the diagnostic spell Sona had taught her.

"No. It was that _monster_." Kaori spat just as Tsubaki had confirmed the cause of death, not at all seeming to be bothered by the corpse.

The beast stood from where he'd collided against the metal pole, the spot on his chest smoking but otherwise receiving little damage.

Issei wasn't all that surprised. It had been only a small measure of his power, its only goal to get him away from the ones unable to protect themselves.

Now that they were essentially alone…

It was time to end this.

"If any of you are in there. If any of you can hear me. I'm sorry." He didn't _want_ to kill, but… he'd learned this lesson already, hadn't he?

The aura of red condensed around Issei, the preparation for one strike that would end the life of 2 dozen living in one body.

"Dark Mistress of many, beholden to none! Take me under your black wings!" The beast threw his hands up, fingers spread wide and straining like he was trying to will a summoning to occur or trying to gather power from something other than himself.

"Jade, Barry, Hedwig, Goddard. None of you deserve this. But I can't let this _thing_ hurt anyone else. I hope you understand." Issei was speaking to the personalities that he _hoped_ could hear him. Underneath that rabid looking face still trying to accomplish some sort of transformation, were people that didn't deserve to die.

With clenched fists Issei made his aura _explode_ in its potency. His apologies, his rationalization of what he was going to do, were done with.

It was time to reduce the threat to ash and deal with the fallout. What that would entail, Issei wouldn't know until he went back to check on them.

The beast was still waiting for some sort of sign that he'd been heard, as Issei's armored feet clanged with each step. In the Red Dragon Emperors left hand was something he'd only learned a little of recently. The same manifestation of aura that Tiamat used against him.

There was a clear difference between his and hers at a glance. The blue swirling power that the dragon king used fluctuated at random, it was _chaotic_ and near uncontrollable. On the other hand, his was a deep red that pulsed like with hunger, the fingers of its translucent flame whipping out towards the closest lifeform. Issei could feel a different side of himself wanting to break through the surface each time he used it. A ravenous desire to _burn_ , to _dominate_ anything that stood in his path, to prove that he stood above anything and everything without nigh limitless power.

Issei had learned the truth of why Ddraig and his counterpart were called the Heavenly Dragons. It wasn't because they were altruistic, they couldn't have been anything from that. It wasn't because they were affiliated with any heaven of any realm.

It was because they stood above almost every other being in terms of power. When humans thought of Heaven, they pictured a scene in the clouds… something far above themselves.

A heavenly being was not much different. The being was above them; in physical position, in power, and in its influence on the world.

The only thing above something heavenly was something godly.

The closer Issei got, the more his aural flame pulled towards the beast. It _wanted_ to touch him, like a hand trying to grasp something just out of reach, the fingers curling in an attempt to grasp him.

The beasts beckoning went unanswered. Seeing Issei come closer, he lunged. Like a lion pouncing on his prey, the beast had his hands clawed and wide enough to catch Issei from both sides.

The Red Dragon Emperor was ready for him. His right hand knocking both appendages to the side as the body fell towards him. The flames pulsed in anticipation, ready to consume.

The gauntlet caught the beast by his face.

And the flames did the rest.

No one was prepared for when the screams came.

Not Sona, not Tsubaki, nor Momo, Reya, Yui or Kaori.

Least of all were his parents, whose eyes were glued to watching out the hole that had been a window.

It only took a few seconds for the bellowing to stop sounding like a person as the aural flames ripped through the face and vocal chords. Not long after… They stopped.

The lights in the house illuminated everything in each room, but none of the humans had ever experienced a moment where the night consumed them so absolutely.

In his drunken stupor, Mr. Hyoudou latched on to the word used by the now deceased man lying in his kitchen.

"D-devil. My son, he's a demon."

It was meant in a metaphorical way, but its actual truth was lost on the man for the time being.

Yui and Kaori watched sadly, connecting the dots of when Elsha said that Issei had been forced to do something he didn't want to do. It wasn't hard to see that it had happened once again. They weren't afraid of him. It would take so much more to do that. But they were afraid _for_ him.

They had screamed his name with a desire for him to save _them_. But what would that cost _him_? What kind of mental toll would Issei pay for killing someone he knew, and how long would it be before things went back to normal.

If they ever could.

Mrs. Hyoudou took in the sights around her with the eyes of someone that understood that she did not know everything. She never claimed that the world was entirely as everyone saw it. But still… that didn't make the things she'd seen in the last few minutes any less amazing and horrifying.

Blades of wind thrashing out from the hands of a man her husband had brought home with him. Another man that could be impaled by glass, snap a man's neck as easily as he could lift a pen. And her son. Her son transforming into a red armor out of thin air, creating what she could only describe as energy into the palm of his hand to defend them from the _creature_ that wanted to torture herself and her family.

There was only one term that she knew to describe the things she saw.

"Magic…"

Her son. These other girls that she knew to be a part of the student council from the school.

"Magic is _real…_ "

And they could all use it.

Her head spun as the reality of her situation set in. The girl in front of her had wings coming out of her back, some of the others had used forces of the arcane to protect them.

The mother watched as Issei came back into view from the hole blown into the wall, the helmet receding back to reveal the face she knew.

His eyes, the same color she herself had, landed on her.

She flinched. It wasn't something she could control or something she meant to do. But she was afraid.

It didn't take a genius to realize that if magic was real, and hadn't been implemented into society, that was meant to be kept secret. Now that she knew it existed, what would happen.

Issei wasn't the leader of this group, she knew that already.

The decision wasn't his to….

"You're safe now. I promise." Issei spoke with a quiet and calm tone.

He promised. Mrs. Hyoudou relaxed, if only a little. Her son was no liar. There was no amount of magic in the world that could change that about him… that she knew of anyway.

"Ise." Sona called out from her place by the dead man's body, arms crossed and an even more stern look than normal on her face.

"While protocol says that we have to remove the memories of supernatural events, this is your family. They are not just random bystanders. I will leave this choice to you."

The armor faded away in red particles, swept away by the nearly dead breeze. Issei stood several feet away, still looking at his mother.

He saw the way she flinched away from him.

His father could do nothing but stare in confused horror, unable to make sense of anything he'd seen. Perhaps it was a good thing that he was so drunk, but that would remain to be seen. At the very least, he wasn't slinging curses onto Issei or yelling in terror.

Slowly coming to his knees, Issei looked between his parents.

"Mom… Dad." A lump developed in his throat and Issei felt a small desire to just have Sona wipe their memories of tonight.

"I can't say that you'll like what I have to say, but If you want to remember all of this, I will tell you everything that's happened and everything I've done. If this is too much… Kaichou can make you forget. Tonight will have never happened, and things will be as they have been."

Mrs. Hyoudou didn't need the time to think about it.

"Tell me. Tell me everything." She would finally get to understand what her son had been doing, finally have the answers she was waiting for.

This was the Issei she'd wanted to have back. The one that didn't hide things, the one that told her the blunt and honest truth no matter how she felt about it. Even if it brought her anger down on him. There was too much secrecy.

She wanted to know.

What was that thing he'd… _Killed_? What was that red armor? Why did this girl have wings? How was magic real?

She needed it.

As Mrs. Hyoudou looked around at the ones gathered in her destroyed kitchen, another question came up.

Why weren't the girls that she loved like they were her own, surprised by this?

 **END!**

 **In celebration of me turning 27 today, you guys get the longest chapter to date. For this story at least.**

 **Just in case anyone was curious, the beast and the personalities are the antagonist from the movie split.**

 **There's also a musical reference hidden in there somewhere.**

 **As for the motives of what the beast did or said…you'll have to wait till next time.**

 **Also about Sona. I'm trying to have her thoughts get progressively more sex driven, until she finally can't take it anymore. It might have seemed like a big jump from the last chapter, but there was also a chunk of time that we didn't see her sleeping with Issei.**


End file.
